“We did not fight for benefits, we fought for freedom; this is not a pension, its honorary, we are not government servants, Freedom Fighters said while reacting to the hiked pension. They said that then Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had halved the pension from Rs 6500 to Rs 3250. Also, the total expenditure for medical expenses was reimbursed for freedom fighters, but Parrikar reduced it to Rs 1000. Freedom Fighters said present Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has now increased the pension from Rs 3000 to Rs 9000 and medical benefits from Rs 1000 to Rs 3000.
Freedom Fighters said we did not die when our pension was halved. We don’t depend on pensions. But some freedom fighters’ condition was bad. We did not agitate since we dint fight for benefits. The pension does not suffice it’s an honorarium since we fought for freedom. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has now increased the house repair allowance from Rs 25000 to Rs 50000 and the grant for funeral rights of freedom fighters has been hiked from Rs 5000 to Rs 15000.
