The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its ex-post facto approval to enhancement of Pension for Freedom Fighters, the PIB release said.

Hike in pension is eligible for the spouses (widows/widowers), eligible daughters and dependent parents of deceased Freedom Fighters, under the Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension Scheme (SSSPS), 1980.

The revised scale of pension has taken effect from 15.O8.2016. Further, the revised total amount of pension will be taken as basic pension for the respective categories of Freedom Fighter pensioners for calculating Dearness Relief.

The existing pension scheme for Central freedom fighter pensioners and their eligible dependents has been restructured as follows:-

1) Ex-Andaman Political Prisoners/ spouses increased to Rs 30,000/- from Rs 24,775.

2) Freedom fighters who suffered outside British India/spouses increased to Rs 28,000 from Rs 23,085 per month.

3) Other Freedom Fighters / spouses including INA amount increased to Rs 26000 per month from Rs 21,395.

4) Dependent parents/eligible daughters enhanced 50 per cent of the sum that would have been admissible to the Freedom Fighter which will be in range of Rs 13,000/- to Rs 15,000/-.