Swatantrata Sainik Samman Yojana (SSSY) – UPSC Prelims

Swatantrata Sainik Samman Yojana (SSSY):
  • The scheme provides for a monthly Samman Pension to freedom fighters, as a token of respect for their contribution in the national freedom struggle.
  • On their demise, pension is provided to their eligible dependents viz. spouses and thereafter, unmarried and unemployed daughters and dependent parents, as per prescribed eligibility norms and procedure.
  • It is implemented by the Ministry of Home Affairs (Freedom Fighters Division).
  • There are 23,566 beneficiaries across the country covered under this scheme.
Background:
  • The Government of India introduced the ‘Ex-Andaman Political Prisoners Pension Scheme’ in 1969 to honour the freedom fighters who had been incarcerated in the Cellular Jail at Port Blair.
  • In 1972, to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of Independence, a regular scheme for grant of freedom fighters’ pension was introduced.
  • Since 1980, a liberalized scheme, namely the ‘Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension Scheme, 1980’ has been implemented.
  • From the financial year 2017-18 onwards, the nomenclature of the Scheme has been changed as ‘Swatantrata Sainik Samman Yojana’.
  • The amount of pension has been revised from time to time and Dearness Relief is also given since 2016.
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