TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Goa government has framed new pension rules for Goan freedom fighters thus replacing the Goa Freedom Fighters Welfare Rules, 1988, which entitle freedom fighters to lifetime pension of Rs 3,500 per month and DA as applicable.
The new Goa Freedom Fighters Rules, 2013, as per the notification issued this week are being implemented retrospectively from April 1, 2013 onwards.
According to the notification, Dearness Allowance as per the rate announced by Central Government will be paid and in the event of his death, the pension will be paid to his/her family provided they meet certain conditions laid down by the government.
The gazette also states that a freedom fighter or his/her spouse will be paid a fixed monthly medical allowance of Rs 1,000 for incurring day-to-day medical expenses. Similarly, the freedom fighter and his/her family will be treated as government servants for reimbursement of medical expenses under the provisions of Medical Attendance Rules, 1944.
The government has also made a provision to sanction Rs 25,000 grant to the freedom fighter or his/her family for carrying out repairs of their dwelling house once in 10 years. Besides this privilege, the rules also exempt freedom fighters from paying house tax in panchayat and municipal areas and also entitles them to free travel in KTC buses plying within the State and interstate routes.
Interestingly, any vacant government land, which is surplus to government requirements, the notification says they may be given to genuine and deserving freedom fighters, for the purpose of cultivation, subject to the provisions of the Goa, Daman and Diu Land Revenue Rules, 1971 (Disposal of Government land).
To avail these benefits, the government has made it mandatory that sufferings of the freedom fighters will be considered only if he/she produces either of the documents such as official records from the Directorate of Archives, Office of the District Registrar, Police Department or a jail certificate or records from the Gazetteer published by the Government of Maharashtra proving the sufferings at least to the extent provided in these rules.
In the absence of official records, an affidavit from co-prisoner or from freedom fighter who had led the concerned movements, or from the Executive/Working Committee members of the concerned political organization could be submitted, provided these affidavits are accepted by the Committee appointed by the Government to scrutinize the claims of the freedom fighters in this regard.
The government has also made a provision to sanction Rs 25,000 grant to the freedom fighter or his/her family for carrying out repairs of their dwelling house once in 10 years
