Lok Sabha Question No. 2680 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-08-02
Subject: Freedom Fighters
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: SANTOSH KUMAR, BHAIRON PRASAD MISHRA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2680

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 2 nd AUGUST, 2016/SHRAVANA 11, 1938, (SAKA) FREEDOM FIGHTERS

†2680.

SHRI SANTOSH KUMAR: SHRI BHAIRON PRASAD MISHRA:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state?

- (a)  the  total  number  of  freedom  fighters,  their  widows  and  the  eligible dependents  of  freedom  fighters  who  are  receiving  pension  under  the 'Swatantrata  Sainik  Samman  Pension  Scheme,  1980'  separately,  Statewise;
- (b) the details of benefits and amount of pension provided to the freedom fighters and their dependents in the country, Statewise; and
- (c)  Whether  the  Government  has  any  proposal  to  enhance  the  facilities and pension of such persons, if so, the details  thereof  and  the  time  by which such proposal is likely to be implemented?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI HANSRAJ GANGARAM AHIR)

- (a):   The total number of freedom fighters, their spouses(widows/widowers) and eligible dependents under the Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension Scheme, 1980, State-wise is given in Annexure-I.
- (b):   The details of benefits/facilities and amount of pension provided to the freedom fighters and eligible dependents are as per the Annexure-II and III respectively.
- (c):   At present the Government has no proposal to enhance the facilities and pension of  freedom fighters and their eligible dependents.

LS.US.Q.NO.2680 FOR 02.08.2016 Annexure-I State-wise number of Central Freedom Fighter Pensioners / dependents under the Swatantrata Sainik Samman

## Pension Scheme, 1980

| S.NO.               | STATE/UT   | Freedom Fighters themselves   |   Their dependent spouse pensioners |   Their dependent daughter pensioners |   Total |
|---------------------|------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|---------|
| 1 ANDAMAN &         | NICOBAR 9  |                               |                                  11 |                                     0 |      20 |
| 2 ANDHRA            | PRADESH    | 1460                          |                                4257 |                                   314 |    6031 |
| 3                   | ASSAM      | 109                           |                                 502 |                                     0 |     611 |
| 4                   | BIHAR      | 1625                          |                                1309 |                                    38 |    2972 |
| 5 CHANDIGARH        | 12         |                               |                                  10 |                                     0 |      22 |
| 6 CHHATTISGARH      | 26         |                               |                                  99 |                                     2 |     127 |
| 7 DAMAN & DIU       | 5          |                               |                                   6 |                                     2 |      13 |
| 8 DELHI             |            | 149                           |                                 219 |                                    22 |     390 |
| 9 GOA               |            | 400                           |                                 269 |                                     9 |     678 |
| 10 GUJARAT          |            | 210                           |                                 182 |                                    14 |     406 |
| 11 HARYANA          | 165        |                               |                                 488 |                                     9 |     662 |
| 12 HIMACHAL PRADESH |            | 161                           |                                 389 |                                     4 |     554 |
| 13 JAMMU & KASHMIR  | 161        |                               |                                 500 |                                    68 |     729 |
| 14 JHARKHAND        |            | 58                            |                                 108 |                                     3 |     169 |
| 15 KARNATAKA        | 576        |                               |                                1222 |                                    91 |    1889 |
| 16 KERALA           |            | 173                           |                                1128 |                                    84 |    1385 |
| 17 MADHYA PRADESH   |            | 109                           |                                 236 |                                     8 |     353 |
| 18 MAHARASHTRA      |            | 888                           |                                2925 |                                    53 |    3866 |
| 19 MANIPUR          | 10         |                               |                                   9 |                                     0 |      19 |
| 20 MEGHALAYA        | 1          |                               |                                  14 |                                     2 |      17 |
| 21 MIZORAM          | 1          |                               |                                   0 |                                     0 |       1 |
| 22 ODISHA           | 134        |                               |                                 404 |                                    20 |     558 |
| 23 PUDUCHERRY       |            | 11                            |                                  45 |                                    10 |      66 |
| 24 PUNJAB           | 507        |                               |                                 749 |                                    21 |    1277 |
| 25 RAJASTHAN        | 160        |                               |                                 127 |                                     5 |     292 |
| 26 SIKKIM           | 0          |                               |                                   1 |                                     0 |       1 |
| 27 TELANGANA        | 2626       |                               |                                3519 |                                    59 |    6204 |
| 28 TAMIL NADU       | 524        |                               |                                1431 |                                    50 |    2005 |
| 29                  | TRIPURA    | 17                            |                                 156 |                                    31 |     204 |
| 30 UTTAR PRADESH    |            | 377                           |                                1283 |                                    50 |    1710 |
| 31 UTTARAKHAND      |            | 80                            |                                 265 |                                    11 |     356 |
| 32 WEST             | BENGAL     | 946                           |                                2929 |                                   519 |    4394 |
|                     | Total      | 11690                         |                               24792 |                                  1499 |   37981 |

## L.S.U.S.Q.No.2680 FOR 02.08.2016 Annexure-II

## Benefits/Facilities provided to the Freedom Fighters

- i. 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 spouses, along with a companion, for life;
- ii. Medical  facilities  under  Central  Government  Health  Services (C.G.H.S)  and  free  medical  treatment  in  hospitals  run  by  Public Sector  Undertakings  under  the  control  of  Department  of  Public Enterprises have also been extended to the freedom fighters and their dependents;
- iii. Telephone connection, subject to  feasibility,  without  installation charges, and on payment of only half the rental;
- iv. 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.
- v. General  pool  residential  accommodation  (within  the  overall  5% discretionary quota) to the freedom fighters in Delhi. Spouse of a freedom  fighter  is  permitted  to  retain  the  accommodation  for  a period of six months after death of the freedom fighter;
- vi. There is a fully furnished and old age friendly Freedom Fighters' Home  at  New  Delhi  providing  transit  accommodation  (stay  and meal) for freedom fighters/ their eligible dependents;  and
- vii. In addition to the above facilities, ex-Andaman freedom fighters/their  spouses  have  been  allowed  to  also  avail  free  air travel  facility  to  visit  Andaman  &  Nicobar  Islands,  once  a  year, alongwith a companion.

## L.S.U.S.Q.No.2680 FOR 02.08.2016 Annexure-III

## Monthly Amount of Pension provided under Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension Scheme, 1980

| Sl. No.   | Category of the Freedom Fighter                                                              | Basic Pension (in Rs.)                                                        | Dearness Relief @238% with effect from 01.8.2015 (in Rs.)                     | Total amount of pension (in Rs.)                                              |
|-----------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 1(a)      | Ex-Andaman Political Prisoners                                                               | 7,330/-                                                                       | 17,445/-                                                                      | 24,775/-                                                                      |
| (b)       | Freedom Fighters who suffered outside British India (other than INA)                         | 6,830/-                                                                       | 16,255/-                                                                      | 23,085/-                                                                      |
| 2.        | Other freedom fighters                                                                       | 6,330/-                                                                       | 15,065/-                                                                      | 21,395/-                                                                      |
| 3.        | Widow/widower of above categories of freedom fighters                                        | Amount of Pension is the same as of the respective deceased freedom fighters. | Amount of Pension is the same as of the respective deceased freedom fighters. | Amount of Pension is the same as of the 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.                                        | 3,570/- each to all the three daughters.                                      | 5,070/-                                                                       |
| 5.        | Mother or Father of the Freedom Fighter                                                      | 1,000/-                                                                       | 2,380/-                                                                       | 3,380/-                                                                       |

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