Lok Sabha Question No. 2481 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-08-04
Subject: Pension to Freedom Fighters
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: P.K.SREEMATHI TEACHER, ANTO  ANTONY

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

LOK SABHA

**UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.** 2481

**TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 4** **TH** **AUGUST, 2015/** SHRAVANA 13, **1937 (SAKA)**

**PENSION TO FREEDOM FIGHTERS**

2481. 	SHRIMATI P.K. SREEMATHI TEACHER:

SHRI ANTO ANTONY:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) the salient features of the Swatrantrata Sainik Samman Pension Scheme, 1980;

(b) the total number of freedom fighters, their widows and eligible dependents who are receiving pension under the Central "Swatrantrata Sainik Samman Pension Scheme, 1980" separately, State-wise;

(c) whether the Government has received any representations regarding relaxation of criteria for awarding pension and if so, the details thereof and the action taken by the Government in this regard;

(d) the details of facilities provided to freedom fighters and the total funds disbursed during each of the last three years and the current year, State-wise; and

(e) whether the Government has any proposal to enhance the pension and facilities of freedom fighters and if so, the details thereof?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

(SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)

(a): **The salient features of the Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension Scheme, 1980 are as follows:-**

(i)	The following categories of freedom fighters are eligible for the Samman Pension under the Scheme :-

.....2/-

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L.S.U.S.Q.No.2481 for 04.08.2015

(1 *) Eligible dependents of martyrs.*

*(2) A person who had suffered a minimum imprisonment of six months on account of participation in the freedom struggle.*

*(3) A person who, on account of his participation in the freedom struggle, remained underground for more than six months.*

*(4) A person who, on account of participation in the freedom struggle, was interned in his home or externed from his district for a minimum period of 6 months.*

*(5) A person whose property was confiscated or attached and sold due to his participation in the freedom struggle.*

*(6) A person who, on account of participation in the freedom struggle, became permanently incapacitated during firing or lathi charge.*

*(7) A person who lost his Government job for participation in the freedom struggle.*

*(8) A person who was awarded the punishment of ten or more strokes of caning/flogging/whipping for his participation in the freedom struggle.*

(ii)	As a special dispensation for women freedom fighters and for the freedom fighters belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, the minimum period of imprisonment/jail sufferings has been kept at three months in place of six months.

(iii)	Spouses (widows/widowers), unmarried and unemployed daughters (up-to maximum three) and mother or father of deceased freedom fighters (as also of martyrs) in that order are eligible for grant of dependent family pension under the scheme. At one point of time, only one of the above mentioned categories of dependents is eligible for family pension.

(iv) At present the total monthly pension amount for Freedom Fighters is Rs.20,129/- (Rs.23,309/- for ex-Andaman Political Prisoners). The current rate of monthly pension and dearness relief payable to various categories of freedom fighters and their eligible dependents are given in the Annexure-I.

(v) The pension amount is not taxable.

.....3/-

-: 3 :-

L.S.U.S.Q.No.2481 for 04.08.2015

b): 	The total number of the freedom fighters, their widows and eligible dependents receiving Central Samman Pension through various Banks as on 30 th June, 2015 under Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension Scheme, 1980, State-wise is given in the Annexure-II.

(c):   Representations from various Freedom Fighters Organisations and individuals are received from time to time to relax the criteria for awarding pension under the Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension Scheme. The Govt. has not relaxed any of the existing criteria for grant of Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension.

(d):	Apart from the pension, the freedom fighters/eligible dependents are also provided various facilities as per the Annexure-III. **Total funds disbursed during each of the last three years and the current  year** towards Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension is as under:-

| **Year**                  |   **Pension (Rs. In crore)** |
|---------------------------|------------------------------|
| 2012-13                   |                       772.83 |
| 2013-14                   |                       826.11 |
| 2014-15                   |                       784.32 |
| 2015-16 (upto 30.06.2015) |                       242.30 |

(e):	At present, the Government has no proposal to enhance the pension and facilities of freedom fighters.

*******

**Annexure-I**

L.S.U.S.Q.No.2481 FOR 04.08.2015

Monthly Amount of Central Samman Pension

|   **Sl.**  **No.** | **Category of the Freedom Fighter**                                                          | **Basic Pension**  **(in Rs.)**                                    | **Dearness Relief @218% with effect from 01.8.2014**  **(in Rs.)**   | **Total amount of pension**  **(in Rs.)**                          |
|--------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
|                 1. | Ex-Andaman Political Prisoners                                                               | 7,330/-                                                            | 15,979/-                                                             | 23,309/-                                                           |
|                 2. | Other freedom fighters (including INA)                                                       | 6,330/-                                                            | 13,799/-                                                             | 20,129/-                                                           |
|                 3. | Widow/widower of above categories of freedom fighters                                        | Entitlement is the same as of respective deceased freedom fighters | Entitlement is the same as of respective deceased freedom fighters   | Entitlement is the same as of respective deceased freedom fighters |
|                 4. | Unmarried and unemployed daughters [Subject to a maximum of three such daughters at a time]. | 1500/-each to all the three daughters.                             | 3,270/- each to all the three daughters.                             | 4,770/-                                                            |
|                 5. | Mother or Father                                                                             | 1,000/-                                                            | 2,180/-                                                              | 3,180/-                                                            |

| Annexure-II  L.S.U.S.Q.No.2481 for 04.08.2015                                                                                   |                   |                   |                   |                                                  |      |                                 |                                   |           |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|--------------------------------------------------|------|---------------------------------|-----------------------------------|-----------|
| **State-wise number of Central Freedom Fighter Pensioners / dependents who are drawing pension through Banks as on 30.06.2015** |                   |                   |                   |                                                  |      |                                 |                                   |           |
| **S.NO.**                                                                                                                       | **STATE/UT**      |                   |                   | **Number of Central Freedom Fighter Pensioners** |      | **Number of dependent spouses** | **Number of dependent daughters** | **Total** |
| 1                                                                                                                               | ANDAMAN & NICOBAR | ANDAMAN & NICOBAR | ANDAMAN & NICOBAR | 9                                                | 9    | 11                              | 0                                 | 20        |
| 2                                                                                                                               | ANDHRA PRADESH    | ANDHRA PRADESH    | ANDHRA PRADESH    | 1460                                             | 1460 | 4257                            | 314                               | 6031      |
| 3                                                                                                                               | ASSAM             | ASSAM             | ASSAM             | 109                                              | 109  | 502                             | 0                                 | 611       |
| 4                                                                                                                               | BIHAR             | BIHAR             | BIHAR             | 1625                                             | 1625 | 1309                            | 38                                | 2972      |
| 5                                                                                                                               | CHANDIGARH        | CHANDIGARH        | CHANDIGARH        | 12                                               | 12   | 10                              | 0                                 | 22        |
| 6                                                                                                                               | CHATTISGARH       | CHATTISGARH       | CHATTISGARH       | 26                                               | 26   | 99                              | 2                                 | 127       |
| 7                                                                                                                               | DAMAN & DIU       | DAMAN & DIU       | DAMAN & DIU       | 5                                                | 5    | 6                               | 2                                 | 13        |
| 8                                                                                                                               | DELHI             | DELHI             | DELHI             | 149                                              | 149  | 219                             | 22                                | 390       |
| 9                                                                                                                               | GOA               | GOA               | GOA               | 400                                              | 400  | 269                             | 9                                 | 678       |
| 10                                                                                                                              | GUJARAT           | GUJARAT           | GUJARAT           | 210                                              | 210  | 182                             | 14                                | 406       |
| 11                                                                                                                              | HARYANA           | HARYANA           | HARYANA           | 165                                              | 165  | 488                             | 9                                 | 662       |
| 12                                                                                                                              | HIMACHAL PRADESH  | HIMACHAL PRADESH  | HIMACHAL PRADESH  | 161                                              | 161  | 389                             | 4                                 | 554       |
| 13                                                                                                                              | JAMMU & KASHMIR   | JAMMU & KASHMIR   | JAMMU & KASHMIR   | 161                                              | 161  | 500                             | 68                                | 729       |
| 14                                                                                                                              | JHARKHAND         | JHARKHAND         | JHARKHAND         | 58                                               | 58   | 108                             | 3                                 | 169       |
| 15                                                                                                                              | KARNATAKA         | KARNATAKA         | KARNATAKA         | 576                                              | 576  | 1222                            | 91                                | 1889      |
| 16                                                                                                                              | KERALA            | KERALA            | KERALA            | 173                                              | 173  | 1128                            | 84                                | 1385      |
| 17                                                                                                                              | MADHYA PRADESH    | MADHYA PRADESH    | MADHYA PRADESH    | 109                                              | 109  | 236                             | 8                                 | 353       |
| 18                                                                                                                              | MAHARASHTRA       | MAHARASHTRA       | MAHARASHTRA       | 888                                              | 888  | 2925                            | 53                                | 3866      |
| 19                                                                                                                              | MANIPUR           | MANIPUR           | MANIPUR           | 10                                               | 10   | 9                               | 0                                 | 19        |
| 20                                                                                                                              | MEGHALAYA         | MEGHALAYA         | MEGHALAYA         | 1                                                | 1    | 14                              | 2                                 | 17        |
| 21                                                                                                                              | MIZORAM           | MIZORAM           | MIZORAM           | 1                                                | 1    | 0                               | 0                                 | 1         |
| 22                                                                                                                              | ORISSA            | ORISSA            | ORISSA            | 134                                              | 134  | 404                             | 20                                | 558       |
| 23                                                                                                                              | PUDUCHERRY        | PUDUCHERRY        | PUDUCHERRY        | 11                                               | 11   | 45                              | 10                                | 66        |
| 24                                                                                                                              | PUNJAB            | PUNJAB            | PUNJAB            | 507                                              | 507  | 749                             | 21                                | 1277      |
| 25                                                                                                                              | RAJASTHAN         | RAJASTHAN         | RAJASTHAN         | 160                                              | 160  | 127                             | 5                                 | 292       |
| 26                                                                                                                              | SIKKIM            | SIKKIM            | SIKKIM            | 0                                                | 0    | 1                               | 0                                 | 1         |
| 27                                                                                                                              | TELANGANA         | TELANGANA         | TELANGANA         | 2626                                             | 2626 | 3519                            | 59                                | 6204      |
| 28                                                                                                                              | TAMIL NADU        | TAMIL NADU        | TAMIL NADU        | 524                                              | 524  | 1431                            | 50                                | 2005      |
| 29                                                                                                                              | TRIPURA           | TRIPURA           | TRIPURA           | 17                                               | 17   | 156                             | 31                                | 204       |
| 30                                                                                                                              | UTTAR PRADESH     | UTTAR PRADESH     | UTTAR PRADESH     | 377                                              | 377  | 1283                            | 50                                | 1710      |
| 31                                                                                                                              | UTTARAKHAND       | UTTARAKHAND       | UTTARAKHAND       | 80                                               | 80   | 265                             | 11                                | 356       |
| 32                                                                                                                              | WEST BENGAL       | WEST BENGAL       | WEST BENGAL       | 946                                              | 946  | 2929                            | 519                               | 4394      |
|                                                                                                                                 | **Total**         |                   |                   | **11690**                                        |      |                                 |                                   |           |
|                                                                                                                                 |                   |                   |                   |                                                  |      |                                 |                                   |           |
|                                                                                                                                 |                   |                   |                   |                                                  |      |                                 |                                   |           |

Annexure-III

L.S.U.S.Q.No.2481 FOR 04.08.2015

Facilities available to the Freedom Fighters

1. free railway pass-AC-II Class in Rajdhani trains, Chair Car in Shatabdi trains and 1 st Class/AC Sleeper in all other trains for the freedom fighters/ their widows, along with a companion, for life;

1. free medical facilities in all Central Government hospitals and in hospitals run by PSUs under the control of the Bureau of Public Enterprises. C.G.H.S. facilities have also been extended to the freedom fighters and their dependents;

1. telephone connection, subject to feasibility, without installation charges, and on payment of only half the rental;

1. provision of 4% reservation under “Combined Category” for Physically Handicapped Personnel(PH), Outstanding Sports Persons(OSP) and Freedom Fighters(FF) in the normal selection procedure adopted by Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies for allotment of petrol pumps, gas agencies etc;

1. general pool residential accommodation (within the overall 5% discretionary quota) to the freedom fighters in Delhi. Widow of a freedom fighter is also permitted to retain the accommodation for a period of six months after death of the freedom fighter;

1. there is a Freedom Fighters’ Home at New Delhi providing transit accommodation for freedom fighters/ their eligible dependents; and

1. In addition to the above facilities, ex-Andaman freedom fighters/ their widows have also been allowed to avail free air travel facility to visit Andaman & Nicobar Islands, once a year, alongwith a companion.

*****