13,212 freedom fighters still alive, getting pension: Government to Lok Sabha

NEW DELHI: Nearly 78 years after Independence, 13,212 living freedom fighters and spouses or dependents of 9,778 deceased freedom fighters continue to receive the Swatantra Sainik Samman Yojana (SSSY) pension, the home ministry told the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

Over 1.7 lakh freedom fighters have received SSSY pension till date, of which the maximum were from undivided Bihar (24,905), followed by West Bengal (22,523) and Indian National Army (22,472), junior home minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar said in reply to a question.

A citizen qualifies for pension under SSSY if he/she, before Independence, was jailed for a minimum six months; was declared as proclaimed offender, carried a police reward, or whose detention order was issued but not served; was interned at home or externed from district, had property confiscated, or was permanently incapacitated in firing or lathi-charge; or lost a govt job due to participation in the freedom struggle.

Over Rs 3,115-crore worth of funds have been disbursed under SSSY by the Centre in the past five years. The annual bill rose to Rs 599 crore in 2024-25 from Rs 540 crore in 2023-24. Even before that, it had fluctuated from Rs 660 crore in 2020-21 to Rs 717 crore in 2021-22 and Rs 599 crore in 2022-23.

At present, the highest number of freedom fighter pensioners still alive are in Telangana (3,017), followed by West Bengal (1,799) and Maharashtra (1,543). A similar trend is visible in statewise distribution of the freedom fighters’ widows/spouses/daughters still alive and drawing pension, with the maximum (2,165) based in Telangana, 1,274 in Maharashtra and 1,095 in West Bengal.