Odisha to give ₹20K pension to those jailed during Emergency

Odisha to give ₹20K pension to those jailed during Emergency

Ashok.Pradhan@timesofindia.com 15.01.2025

Bhubaneswar : In a move to honour those who resisted the Emergency in 1975, Odisha govt on Monday announced a monthly pension of ₹20,000 for those who were imprisoned during that period. The pension scheme would be effective from Jan 1. The scheme follows Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi’s Independence Day pledge to recognise them. The decision puts Odisha in league with several other states, including Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, and Assam, which already have similar pension schemes in place for Emer gency detainees. A home department resolution said the state govt will also cover all medical expenses for them. Eligible persons have to apply for the pension and medical benefits. All those arrested under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA), Defence of India Rules (DIR), and The Defence and Internal Security of India Rules during the national Emergency from June 25, 1975, to March 21, 1977, will be eligible to apply for the pension. Sources said more than 300 people in Odisha are eligible to apply, which would entail an annual expenditure of ₹8 crore. While most other states have different pension amounts for detainees depending on the period they spent in jails, Odisha has fixed the amount for all irrespective of the period of incarceration.