The Supreme Court has slammed the Centre for harassing Dev Narayan Mishra, a 90-year-old freedom fighter by filing repeated appeals in higher courts to deny him a freedom fighter’s pension under the Swatantrata Sainik Samman Yojana (SSSY).
Timeline:
Government of India introduced the 'Ex-Andaman Political Prisoners Pension Scheme' in 1969 to honour the freedom fighters who had been incarcerated in the Cellular Jail at Port Blair.
In 1972, to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of Independence, a regular scheme for grant of freedom fighters' pension was introduced.
Since 1980, a liberalized scheme, namely the 'Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension Scheme, 1980' is being implemented.
From the financial year 2017-18 onwards, the nomenclature of the Scheme has been changed as 'Swatantrata Sainik Samman Yojana'.
Overview:
The scheme provides for a monthly Samman Pension to freedom fighters, as a token of respect for their contribution in the national freedom struggle.
On their demise, pension is provided to their eligible dependents viz. spouses and thereafter, unmarried and unemployed daughters and dependent parents, as per prescribed eligibility norms and procedure.
As of March 2019, a total 1.7 lakh freedom fighters and their eligible dependents have been sanctioned the central samman pension so far.
It is implemented by Ministry of Home Affairs (Freedom Fighters Division).
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