Bhubaneswar:14/1/25:A high-level meeting was convened by Additional Chief Secretary, Home; Satyabrata Sahu to discuss preparing an error-free list of MISA, DIR, and DISIR Detainees imprisoned in various prisons of the state during the proclamation of National Emergency In India.
Speaking to Collectors and SPs through video conferencing, the ACS, Home asked the detainees to apply in the prescribed format before the District Magistrates along with all relevant documents in support of their detention under MISA, DIR, and DISIR along with mentioning the names of three co-prisoners.
The concerned persons need to fill up details like name of fathers and husbands, Date of Birth, period of detention, name of the prison and location along with present and permanent postal address, AADHAAR with passport size photograph while mentioning the identification mark also the name of Treasury or Sub Treasury where the applicants intend to draw the allowance.
The applications will be scrutinized by a district-level committee chaired by the Collector and DM with the SP and Superintendent of the concerned Jail and Sub Jail as members. After finalisation of the list by the committee, the recommendations will be forwarded to the Home Department for verification by a State Level Committee comprising of the Home Secretary, Law Secretary, Finance Secretary, Financial Advisor of the Home Department, DGP, and DG Prisons.
After approval by the state committee, order will be issued in favour of the person for drawing pension marking copies to Collectors, AG(A&E), Director of Treasury and Inspection, DGP, SPs, concerned beneficiaries, and District Treasuries. The Accountant General (A&E) based on this order will intimate to District Treasury with information marked to Home Department and the concerned person for availing pension in this regard.
It is apt to be recalled that State Govt has taken policy level decision to provide pensions and other benefits, to the persons detained in jails of Odisha under MISA (The Maintenance of Internal Security Act, 1971) or DIR (The Defence of India Rules) or DISIR (The Defence and Internal Security of India Rules) during the period from 25.06.1975 to 21.03.1977. Pension of Rs 20,000 per month will be sanctioned in favour of the living persons (those who were alive as on January 1, 2025) irrespective of the period of detention in jail, he said.
Free medical treatment will also be provided to them as per the provisions made by the Health & Family Welfare Department, the ACS said. This benefit can be availed by the eligible persons. from the period starting with 1 January 2025. The benefit will not be available for a period before this date as clarified under notification vide OSWAS File No. FIN-GS 1-PEN-0040-2024.
The ACS, Home has further directed that this facility shall be immediately withdrawn in case substantial proof is furnished with regards to the production of false documents by the applicant or his/her involvement in anti-national, destructive activities or incidents involving disruption of national harmony.
In the guideline issued by the state govt, it has been mentioned that following the instruction of the Finance/Home Department, a monthly pension will be given to eligible beneficiaries.
The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary, Law Manas Ranjan Barik; DG, Prisons, Arun Ray; Special Secretary, Home RK Sharma, Additional Secretary, Home, Soumendra Patra; Additional Secretary Law, S Mahapatra; AFA, Home, Gangadahar Mallick and Dy Secretary, Finance Ashok Kumar Dikshit.