Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension Scheme

Why in News?     

Recently, Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension Scheme has been revised.

• Launched on – 15 August 1972.
• Aim – To provide for grant of pension to living freedom fighters or their (as of the martyrs) eligible dependents.
• Nodal Ministry – Ministry of Home Affairs.
• New changes – The existing dearness relief system based on All India Consumer Price Index for Industrial workers, which was hitherto applied to freedom fighters pension on annual basis has been discontinued and replaced by dearness

Dearness allowance is a cost of living adjustment that the Government pays to public sector employees and pensioners. It is calculated as a percentage of the basic salary to curb the effect of inflation.

• Eligibility – A person who had suffered a minimum imprisonment of 6 months in the mainland jails before Independence.
  • A person who remained underground for more than 6 months.
  • A person interned in his home or externed from his district, provided the period was 6 months or more.
  • A person whose property was attached and sold due to participation in the freedom struggle.
  • A person who became permanently incapacitated during firing or lathi charge.
  • A person who lost his job in Central or State Government by means participation in the national movement.
• Benefits – It extended to all the freedom fighters,

References

1. PIB| Revision of Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension Scheme
2. My Scheme| Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension Scheme