Chandigarh, August 17:
Punjab Government led by the Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh is fully committed for the welfare of Freedom Fighters and their wards.
Reiterating this, the Cabinet Minister Mr. Om Parkash Soni said that the Punjab Government had initiated various welfare measures for freedom fighters and their families.
Listing out several beneficial measures taken by Captain Amarinder Singh Government, the Minister said the State Government was providing a monthly pension of Rs. 7500/- per month to the freedom fighters and their eligible family members (widow and unmarried/unemployed daughter of the freedom fighter) under the Swatantarta Sainik Sanman Pension Scheme.
The Minister further said that the State Government had also made a provision of 2% reservation to freedom fighters in the allotment of plots and houses by Punjab government agencies.
Further, the Minister stated that the eligible heirs (sons/daughters/grandsons/grand-daughters) of freedom fighters were being provided 1 % reservation for admission into the state medical/technical colleges and also for the direct recruitment quota posts of Class 1, 2, 3 and 4 in government jobs and there was also a provision of medical reimbursement for the freedom fighters against the expenditure incurred as indoor treatment in government as well as in private hospitals. This facility has also been extended to freedom fighters’ wives and widows and after the death of freedom fighter’s widow, the same facility is provided to unmarried/unemployed daughters of freedom fighters.
Mr. Soni said the freedom fighters themselves, their widows, unmarried and unemployed daughters along with an attendant had been given a facility of free bus travel facility in Punjab Government buses.
Apart from this, Punjab Government has also issued notification exempting the freedom fighters from the toll tax on state highways on production of identity cards issued to them by the Government.
The minister said Punjab Government is granting electricity concession of 300 units to the freedom fighters of Punjab who have domestic category electricity connection with a sanctioned load up to 1 Kilo Watt, in addition to providing one out-of-turn tube-well connection to each family of a freedom fighter.
Those Sangharshi Yodhas who participated in protests to protect the interests of Punjab during Punjabi Suba Morcha are being provided financial assistance of Rs. 1000/- per month who were imprisoned up to three months, Rs. 1500/ – per month to the persons who underwent imprisonment for three to six months and Rs. 2000/- per month for persons who were put behind bars for more than six months, the Minister added.
