Odisha announces Rs 20,000 pension and free healthcare for emergency detainees from 1975-77

The Odisha government has announced a pension of Rs 20,000 per month and free healthcare for individuals detained during the 1975-77 Emergency. A notification issued by the state home department on January 2, confirmed that these benefits will be available to individuals who were arrested and imprisoned under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA), Defence of India Rules (DIR), or the Defence and Internal Security of India Rules (DISIR) between June 25, 1975, and March 21, 1977, when the national Emergency was declared by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

The pension has been effective from January 1, 2025, and will be provided to all living detainees from the Emergency period. The pension will be sanctioned irrespective of the duration of detention in jail. Additionally, the Odisha government will bear all medical expenses for eligible detainees, ensuring they receive free healthcare in accordance with the state’s health and family welfare department guidelines.

To facilitate the identification of eligible beneficiaries, the state government has instructed district-level committees, chaired by the respective district collectors, to compile a list of individuals who were detained during the Emergency. The district committees will cross-check jail records and other relevant documents to verify eligibility. While the government does not have precise data on the number of surviving detainees, it expects to finalize the list after the application process begins.

Eligible detainees will need to apply to avail the pension and healthcare benefits. The state government has clarified that no benefits will be provided for any period before January 1, 2025, and the scheme will only cover those who are alive as of that date. The application process will require individuals to submit relevant records to substantiate their detention during the Emergency period.

The Odisha government has also set strict guidelines to prevent misuse of the scheme. The benefits will be withdrawn if a recipient is found involved in anti-national activities or criminal conduct. Furthermore, individuals who submit false documents to claim the pension will face prosecution, and any funds disbursed under the scheme will be recovered with an interest rate of 12 percent annually.

This decision brings Odisha in line with other BJP-ruled states like Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, and Assam, which already have similar pension schemes for Emergency detainees. The Odisha government’s move is part of ongoing efforts to recognize and compensate those who were jailed during the Emergency for their opposition to the government at the time. The scheme highlights the state's commitment to honoring the memory of individuals who resisted the Emergency, considered a controversial period in India’s post-independence history.