The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh reviewed the functioning of Freedom Fighters and Rehabilitation (FFR) Division of Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) here today. The Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Hansraj Gangaram Ahir, the Union Home Secretary Shri Rajiv Gauba and senior officers of the Ministry of Home Affairs also attended the meeting. During the meeting, Shri Rajnath Singh reviewed the issues relating to Freedom Fighters’ pension, rehabilitation schemes and Enemy Properties.
The Union Home Minister directed that considering the importance of the new provisions in the Enemy Property Act, 2017 which has been amended recently to include disposal/transfer of Enemy properties, the Rules may be notified expeditiously. It was also decided that the custodian office is strengthened for this purpose. The Division should identify the properties free from encumbrance for quick disposal and monetization. Similar properties in Pakistan belonging to Indians have been disposed of. He said that the appointment of Nodal officers by the State Governments be pursued to coordinate the identification, vesting, and valuation of enemy properties. During the meeting, it was also informed that the survey of 6,289 properties has been completed and the survey be completed in respect of remaining 2,991 properties which are vested with the custodian. Also, the properties in the process for vesting numbering 5,863 may also be surveyed at the earliest.
The meeting decided that the distribution of pension through banks to the freedom fighters under Swantratra Sainik Samman Yojana should be further streamlined by strengthening Pension Distribution Monitoring Cell (PDMC) to reconcile on monthly basis. It was informed that 73% of Pension Accounts have been linked to Aadhaar by the Banks. The Division was given the target to achieve 100% linkage at the earliest by coordinating with the all 23 banks.
The rehabilitation issues relating to Sri Lankan Tamilians staying in 107 camps and Tibetian refugees were also reviewed. The Division has been advised to handle the issues relating to Tibetian/Tamilian refugees to ensure good living conditions to the refugees.
The progress of developmental activities for settling about 1,000 returnees from former Indian enclaves in Bangladesh and infrastructure development in 51 Bangladeshi enclaves in Cooch Behar District of West Bengal was also reviewed at the meeting. So far, Rs 413 crores has been released to Government of West Bengal for developing the infrastructure. The progress of the implementation should be monitored regularly to ensure timely completion of the project to rehabilitate the returnees, the Home Minister said.
