By IANS,
Bhopal : Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has applied for pension under a scheme his government has announced for those who were put behind the bars under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) during the Emergency 1975-77.
The district collectorate of Sehore, Chouhan’s hometown adjoining the state capital, has received Chouhan’s application for pension under the Loknayak Jayaprakash Samman Nidhi, formed by his government four months ago.
Sehore assistant district magistrate Bhavna Balambe, who is also in charge of the Nidhi, Thursday confirmed having received Chouhan’s application.
State-level MISA Bandi Samiti (MISA Detainees Committee) vice-president Balkrishna Namdev also said the chief minister has submitted an application for pension.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state had announced the pension scheme for MISA detainees, declaring that they would now be treated as freedom fighters and granted monthly pension.
The first pension payout, cumulative for the past four months, would be released Friday, the Independence Day.
Those who had spent over six months in jail will get Rs.6,000 a month, while those who were detained for three to six months will get Rs.3,000.
In comparison, freedom fighters get a fixed amount of Rs.4,000 per month.
In case of a MISA detainee who has died, the spouse is entitled to 50 percent of the honorarium amount.
There are about 4,000 people in the state who were arrested during the Emergency rule of 1975-77.
Chouhan, who was barely 16 in 1975, was arrested during a demonstration at Chowk Bazaar here. He was released after four months on account of his young age.