Freedom Fighters and Rehabilitation Division

Freedom Fighters & Rehabilitation Division, a division of the Ministry of Home Affairs of India, manages the Swathantra Sainik Samman Pension Scheme - a national pension scheme introduced in 1972 for Freedom Fighters (Swatantrata Sainiks) and their dependents. The division also handles rehabilitation assistance for refugees and migrants from Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Tibet. However, there was significant resistance to implementing the scheme. For example, it took 24 years of legal fighting for S. M. Shanmugam to finally receive his pension in August 2006.

Definition of eligible freedom fighters
The freedom fighters pension scheme was instituted in 1972. Eligible as freedom fighters are people who;


 * had suffered an imprisonment of 6 months or more in connection with the freedom struggle (3 months in the case of women and SC/ST freedom fighters.).
 * remained underground for six months or more.
 * were interned in their homes or external from their district for six months or more.
 * whose property was confiscated or attached and sold due to participation in the national freedom struggle.
 * were permanently incapacitated during firing or lathi charge.
 * lost government employments due to the participation in the freedom struggle.
 * were awarded the punishment of 10 strokes of canning/flogging/whipping.

Eligible movements and mutinies for the pension
The following movements and mutinies are recognized by the central government of India for the purpose of the freedom fighters pensione scheme administered by the division:


 * 1) Ambala Cantonment Army Revolt (1943)
 * 2) Anti-Independent Travancore Movement
 * 3) Aranya Satyagraha of Karnataka (1939–40)
 * 4) Arya Samaj Movement in the erstwhile Hyderabad State (1947–48)
 * 5) Border Camp Cases in erstwhile Hyderabad State (1947–48)
 * 6) Chengannur Riot Case
 * 7) Chauri Chaura incident (1922)
 * 8) Dadara Nagar Haveli Movement.
 * 9) Ghadar Movement
 * 10) Goa Liberation Movement
 * 11) Gurdwara Reform Movement (1920–25) (including: a) Taran Taran Morcha, Nankana Tragedy of February (1920), The Golden Temple Ke Affairs (Morcha Chabian Saheb), Guru ka Bagh Morcha, Babbar Akali Movement, Jaito Morcha, Bhai Pheru Morcha, The Sikh Conspiracy (Golden Temple) of 1924)
 * 12) Harse Chhina Mogha Morcha (1946–47)
 * 13) Hollwell monument removal movement (1940) by Subhas Chandra Bose at Calcutta
 * 14) Indian Independence League (1942 to 1946)
 * 15) Jhansi Regiment Case in Army (1940)
 * 16) Kadakkal Riot Case
 * 17) Kalipattanam Agitation (1941–42)
 * 18) Kallara-Pangode Struggle
 * 19) Karivelloor Movement
 * 20) Kauvambai Movement
 * 21) Kayyur incident
 * 22) Khilafat Movement
 * 23) Kirti Kisan Movement (1927)
 * 24) Madurai Conspiracy Case (1945–47)
 * 25) Malabar Special Police Strike (MSP Strike)
 * 26) Merger with India movements in the former French and Portugueses possessions in India
 * 27) Moplah Rebellion (1921–22)
 * 28) Morazha Movement
 * 29) Naujawan Bharat Sabha (1926–31)
 * 30) Qissa Khwani massacre (Peshawar Kand) in which members of the Royal Garhwal Rifles took part
 * 31) Praja Mandal Movement in the erstwhile Princely States (1939–49)
 * 32) Punnapra-Vayalar uprising (1946)
 * 33) Quit India Movement (1942)
 * 34) Rani Jhansi Regiment and Azad Hind Fauj (Indian National Army) (1943–45)
 * 35) Read Leaf Conspiracy Case (1931)
 * 36) Royal Indian Navy Mutiny, 1946
 * 37) Suez Canal Army Revolt in 1943
 * 38) Vattiyoorkavu Conference