Guwahati: The Assam government has decided to give a monthly pension of Rs 15,000 to over 300 people jailed during the Emergency period.
Assam Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Ashok Singhal said the state government in a cabinet meeting on Wednesday has decided to give the pension to them.
He said the Assam government considers the people jailed during the Emergency as ‘Lok Tantra Senani’.
“To recognise their contribution towards democracy, the Assam Cabinet today approved giving a monthly pension to 301 people. They will receive Rs 15,000 per month. If the person is no more, his wife will get the amount, and if both of them have died, their unmarried daughter will get this sum,” Singhal told reporters on Wednesday.
Singhal claimed that many states in India are providing pensions to jailed people during the Emergency period, but the amount given by Assam is the “highest”.
The Emergency was imposed by then prime minister Indira Gandhi for a 21-month period from 1975 to 1977.