Odisha to give ₹20,000 monthly pension for those jailed during Emergency

The Odisha government has also announced free healthcare for those jailed during Emergency in 1975-77

Updated on: Jan 13, 2025, 19:59:51 IST

By Debabrata Mohanty

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Bhubaneswar: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Odisha government on Monday approved a monthly pension of ₹20,000 and free healthcare for those jailed during Emergency in 1975-77.

In August 2019, the previous Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government under chief minister Naveen Patnaik had announced ₹500 pension to all those who were arrested during Emergency under the Madhubabu Pension Scheme, but it drew flak for the paltry amount.

According to the latest notification issued by the state home department, the pension will be provided to persons detained in jails in Odisha under MISA (The Maintenance of Internal Security Act, 1971) or DIR (The Defence of India Rules) or DISIR (The Defence and Internal Security of India Rules) from June 26, 1975, to March 21, 1977.

“The pension will be sanctioned in favour of the living persons (i.e. those who were alive as on January 1, 2025) irrespective of the period of detention in jail,” it said.

The home department said that they can avail of free medical treatment in accordance with the provisions of Health & Family Welfare Department. “These benefits will be provided for the period starting from January 1, 2025. No benefit shall be paid for the period prior to January 1, 2025,” it said.

Besides doubling pension of freedom fighters, chief minister Mohan Majhi on January 2 announced that those who were arrested under MISA during the emergency period will be eligible for a monthly pension of ₹20,000. “To honour the patriots who suffered imprisonment under the MISA Act, our government will provide pension, free healthcare, and free bus passes,” he said while terming the Emergency as one the dark periods of democracy.

Three states in the country have introduced pension schemes for the MISA or DIR prisoners of emergency period. While Madhya Pradesh is giving ₹15,000 to ₹25,000 per annum to emergency victims, Chhattisgarh is giving ₹5,000 to ₹25,000 per month and Rajashtan ₹20,000.

In Odisha, leaders like Biju Patnaik, Harekrushna Mehtab, former Andhra Pradesh governor Biswa Bhusan Harichandan, former finance minister Panchanan Kanungo, former BJD ministers Surendra Nayak and Pradip Maharathy and several Rasthriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and BJP workers were jailed during the Emergency.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debabrata Mohanty
Debabrata Mohanty is a senior assistant editor of Hindustan Times who works as state correspondent from Odisha covering the state's politics, governance, public policy, natural disasters, environment and its society for close to three decades. With his long years of reporting from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty has been known as one of the most experienced and credible journalists covering Odisha for the national English dailies. His reporting combines on-ground detail with deep institutional knowledge detailing the state's changing politics, governance issues, administrative reforms and the functioning of its public institutions. He has regularly reported on issues ranging from legislative developments and public policy implementation. Politics is his core areas of expertise as he closely tracks Odisha's political landscape, including the rise and transformation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the two principal political parties in Odisha. His long association with the state's political establishment enables him to write on contemporary developments in a larger political context. Mohanty takes a deep interest in writing human interest stories, environmental issues and documenting the impact of cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events in one of the most disaster-prone states. His coverage extends to public health, governance reforms and stories on accountability of government institutions. Before joining Hindustan Times, Mohanty worked with The Indian Express, Mail Today, and The Telegraph, where he covered at least six general elections and as many assembly elections. In 2007, he was selected for the prestigious Chevening Young Indian Print Journalist Programme at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, where he received advanced training in print journalism. In 2009 he won the Press Institute of India-International Committee of Red Cross award on conflict reporting for his on-ground reportage of 2008 Kandhamal riots.Read More

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