Q.1 Who is eligible for Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension?
Ans.For the purpose of grant of Samman pension under the Scheme, (A) a freedom fighter should have suffered a minimum imprisonment of six months in the mainland jails before independence. Ex-INA personnel are also eligible for pension if the imprisonment/detention suffered by them was outside India for six months or more. (B) A person who remained underground for six months or more provided he was:- i) a proclaimed offender ii) one on whom an award for arrest/head was announced; or iii) one whose detention order was issued but not served. In case of women and SC/ST freedom fighters the minimum period of actual imprisonment for eligibility of pension is three months.
Q.2 How to apply?
Ans. Persons, who consider themselves eligible for Samman Pension under the Scheme, should apply, in duplicate, on the prescribed application form. One form, duly filled and supported by required documents as proof of claim of suffering, should be sent to the Chief Secretary of the concerned State Government/Union Territory Administration. The second copy should be sent to the Deputy Secretary to the Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs, Freedom Fighters Division, NDCC-II Building, Jai Singh Road, New Delhi as an advance copy. Pension is sanctioned only after verification of certificates and on the specific recommendation of the concerned State Governments.
Q.3 How Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension is granted?
Ans. For grant of Samman pension, Ministry of Home Affairs issues formal sanction order to the Pay & Accounts Office alongwith requisite identification documents obtained from the applicant, on the basis of which the Pension Payment Order is issued to the freedom fighter. No certificate is given to the freedom fighter.
Q.4 What a freedom fighter is supposed to do after issue of sanction letter for grant of Central Samman Pension ?
Ans. After receipt of the sanction letter, the concerned freedom fighter is supposed to submit documents as mentioned in the sanction letter. Subsequently Pay & Account Office issuesPension Payment order in his/her name. On receipt the Pension Payment Order (PPO) the freedom fighter approaches the concerned bank for drawing Central Samman Pension.
Q.5 From where the Samman pension can be drawn?
Ans. The Samman Pension can be drawn from the Public Sector banks.
Q.6 Besides pension what other benefits a Central Samman pensioner is entitled to?
Ans. Apart from the Samman Pension, the freedom fighters are also provided the following facilities by the Government of India:
(i) Free railway pass (II AC in Rajdhani, Chair Car in Shatabdi and I class /AC Sleeper in all other trains) for freedom fighter of his /her widow/widower, along with a companion, for life;
(ii) Free medical facilities in all Central Government hospitals and hospitals run by PSUs under the control of the Bureau of Public Enterprises;
(iii) C.G.H.S. facilities have also been extended to freedom fighters and their dependents;
(iv) Telephone connection, subject to feasibility, without installation charges and on payment of only half the rental;
(v) General Pool residential accommodation (within the overall 5% discretionary quota) in Delhi;
(vi) Transit accommodation in the Freedom Fighters’ Home set up at New Delhi for the freedom fighters pensioners/eligible dependents;
(vii) Ex-Andaman freedom fighters/their widows/widowers are also entitled to free air travel facility to visit Andaman & Nicobar Islands, once a year, along with a companion; and
All major facilities provided to freedom fighters are also extended to their widows/widowers.
Q.7 How to get CGHS card and Railway Pass?
Ans. For issue of CHGS card and free railway pass, a Central Samman Pensioner is to approach the local CHGS dispensary and the concerned Dvisional Railway Manager respectively.
Q.8 After death of a Central Samman Pensioner, who is eligible for the family pension?
Ans. For the purpose of grant of Samman Pension, family includes (if the freedom fighter is not alive) widow/widower if she/he has not since remarried, unmarried/unemployed daughters, mothers and fathers.
Not more than one eligible dependent can be granted pension and in the event of availability of more than one dependent, the sequence of eligibility will be widow/widower, unmarried/unemployed daughters, mother or father.
Q.9 Whether successors of Central Samman pensioners are eligible for the pension and other benefit?
Ans. Sons and other successors (except unmarried unemployed daughters) of Central Samman Pensioners are not eligible for pension and other benefits.
Q.10 What should eligible dependent do to get the family pension?
Ans. The powers of transfer of family pension to the eligible dependents of freedom fighter pensioner drawing pension under Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension Scheme, 1980, have been delegated to Pension Disbursing Authorities viz Banks/Treasuries vide this Ministry’s instructions No.8/7/89- FF(P) dated 1.5.1992. The eligible dependents should therefore approach the concerned banks.
Q. 11 How to get enhanced amount of pension on revision of DR?
Ans. As and when DR is revised, the intimation is given to the Chief Controller of Accounts, Ministry of Finance, Comptroller and Auditor General of India Reserve Bank of India Central Pension Accounting Office etc. for issuing instructions to all Public sector banks and treasuries to modify the existing pension payment orders of the freedom fighter pensioners and their eligible dependents to effect commencement of revised Dearness Relief.
Q.12 Is there any reservation of quota under freedom fighter category for employment in Central Govt.?
Ans. As per Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension Scheme, 1980 there is no provision of reservation in employment under the Central Govt. for the freedom fighters or their dependants.
Q. 13 Is there any reservation for seat in educational institutions?
Ans. As per Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension Scheme, 1980 there is no provision of reservation of seats in educational institution for the freedom fighters or their successors.
Q.14 Price rise vis-à-vis amount of pension?
Ans. To take care of the inflation, Dearness relief (DR) component of the pension is revised every year on the basis of twelve monthly average increase in All India Consumer Price Index.
Q.15 Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension vis-à-vis pension admissible to the Government employees, MPs etc.?
Ans. Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension is a samman conferred on freedom fighters to recognize the sacrifices made by them for freedom of the country. It is in no way to be compared with the pension admissible to Central Govt. employees/MPs.
Q.16 If husband & wife both are Central Samman Pensioners, in case of demise of the one, will the surviving one get family pension?
Ans. In such a case, the surviving spouse is not entitled for the family pension of the deceased spouse.
Q.17 Amount of family pension admissible to two widows of a deceased Central Samman Pensioners who had earlier given intimation of two legally wedded wives?
Ans. In such a case, family pension will be equally divided between the two widows.
