New Delhi: The Devendra Fadnavis government has approved an increase in the monthly remuneration of people who were imprisoned during the emergency. The remuneration was imposed from 1975 to 1977 by then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi of the grand old party.
The revised policy has closed the earlier one with some major changes. According to the new policy, people who were detained for more than one month for participating in the “democratic protests” will receive Rs 20,000 per month, double the previous amount.
Spouse of deceased to receive 50 per cent
The spouse of the deceased protestors will receive 50 per cent of the honorarium, as per the new policy.
Meanwhile, those who were imprisoned for less than a month will also receive twice compared to the previous amount of Rs 5,000. This decision is seen as “instrumental” as it marks a gradual shift and “enhancement” from the 2018 policy.
What is an emergency honorarium?
The 2018 policy was implemented to honour the Emergency era detainees with monthly honorariums as a token of respect for their fight to “uphold the ideals of democracy”.
Spouses of the deceased will have to submit a fresh application to their respective district collector’s office. In case the beneficiary has passed away before January 2, 2018, the spouse can still get the benefits of the new policy. The new policy dashes the requirement of being at least 18 years old to receive benefits. This has made more people eligible for this honorarium policy.
Steps for honouring Emergency detainees
There are approximately 3,782 recognised emergency detainees in Maharashtra, according to a The New India Express report. To implement the new policy on the ground, a total amount of 55 crores has been approved by the Maharashtra government.
Speaking about the new policy, Maharashtra CM said that this is a move for “honouring and glorifying” people who have persistently fought for democracy during the Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi between June 25, 1975 and March 31, 1977.
It is pertinent to mention that the scheme was earlier scrapped by the Uddhav Thackeray-led government in the state, citing financial instability that was encountered during the pandemic.
