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Patna,(BiharTimes): Bihar has the highest number of freedom fighter pensioners in the country. What is strange is that unlike in other states the number has not got reduced in the last couple of years.
According to a Union Home Ministry report nearly 23,000 persons in the state are still getting Swatantrata Senani Samman Pension (Freedom Fighters’ Pension) though the country got independent 65 years ago. |
Its capital Patna, with 900, has the highest number of freedom fighters, while Araria has only 100 such freedom fighter pensioners. Bhagalpur stood second with 650 while Darbhanga had 400. Even the relatively newly carved out Maoist-infested Jamui district had 220 freedom fighters or their dependants drawing pension.
The scheme was launched by the then Indira Gandhi government in the 1970s. Though it was in recognition of the services rendered by lakhs of freedom fighters during struggle for Independence, it was considered as a political move by many in the opposition then.
The state government had asked all the district magistrates to provide treasury-wise details of such pensioners with their Pension Payment Order (PPO) number. The move was aimed to update its (Bihar government) record about such freedom fighters and their dependants, including unmarried daughters, who too were entitled for pension after the death of the original freedom fighter.
The pensioners initially used to get only Rs 200 per month. It was enhanced to Rs 3,000, followed by another revision to Rs 15,000. The Bihar government too gives a separate pension of Rs 2,000 per month to each beneficiary. Apart from this, a freedom fighter is entitled to railway pass for unlimited travel to anywhere in India.
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