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Freedom fighters’ pension in Rajasthan hiked to ₹25,000 per month
Addressing a gathering on Thursday, Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot announced increase of freedom fighters’ pension from ₹20,000 to ₹25,000.
Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot announced on Thursday an increase in the monthly pension of freedom fighters, soldiers and widows of Second World War, ₹1 per kg wheat to families below the poverty line (BPL), and opening of a Gandhi museum in Jaipur.
Addressing a gathering at Birla Auditorium on 150th anniversary year of Mahatma Gandhi and 91st birthday of Gandhian thinker SN Subbarao, the chief minister announced increase of freedom fighters’ pension from ₹20,000 to ₹25,000.
“During my last tenure as CM I had increased the pension to ₹20,000 from ₹17,000, which now will be ₹25,000,” Gehlot said. The medical allowance of the freedom fighters will be increased from ₹4,000 to ₹5,000, he said.
The CM said the pension of soldiers of Second World War and widows of those who took part in the war would be increased to ₹10,000 from ₹4,000.
Gehlot announced ₹1 per kilogram wheat to BPL, state BPL and Antyodaya families. The move will benefit 1.74 crore families, he said. Under the Centre’s Right to Food scheme, which was started by the UPA government, wheat was provided to families at ₹2 per kg and rice at ₹3 per kg. “During the last Congress government, it was reduced to ₹1 per kg wheat but later changed to ₹2 per kg, which now again is reduced to ₹1 per kg for 1.74 crore families.”
The chief minister said the museum on Mahatma Gandhi would be set up to promote the principles and teachings of the Father of the Nation, conducting research on him and for other similar activities.
Gehlot ruled out the possibility of a complete ban on liquor in the state, saying it was not practical. Citing the example of Gujarat where liquor is banned, Gehlot said alcohol was being smuggled and consumed in that state.
“Liquor ban could not be done practically but we will work on what could be done here,” he said, reacting to suggestions for a ban on liquor. He said liquor was earlier banned in Rajasthan in the 1970s.
