Patna:With political activities soaring in Bihar ahead of socialist icon Jayaprakash Narayanan's 120th birth anniversary on October 11, the state government has released pending pensions for his followers, who served jail sentences for taking part in movements led by him during Emergency in the 1970s. Some of the beneficiaries were not receiving this pension since 2009, officials said.
The birth anniversary of Jayaprakash Narayan, popularly known as JP, will see a flurry of activities in Bihar this time, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah scheduled to visit his birthplace, Sitabdiara in Saran district, and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar addressing the All Nagaland Bihari Conference at Dimapur on Tuesday.
In Dimapur, Nitish Kumar will acknowledge the contribution of Biharis in the political and economic sphere of Nagaland ever since the days of JP, who worked for peace in the northeastern state, a party leader said.
According to an order issued by the Special Branch of the state Home Department last month, Rs 14.90 lakh was approved for the payment of six beneficiaries of the JP Senani Pension Scheme, whose pensions were withheld for various reasons. Before this, on August 8, approval to release Rs 61.2 lakh was given to distribute pending pensions for 16 beneficiaries. The Home department had given its nod to release the pending pensions for 10 pensioners.
Asked why their pension was pending for so long, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Chaitnya Prasad said, "I will have to check it." According to the latest official data, 428 JP Sentani pensioners or their spouses have died till July 2021 since the scheme's introduction in June 2009. Verification documents of 180 spouses of the existing pensioners for the continuation of the pension have not reached the JP Senani Pension Board within the stipulated period, an official of the Home department said.
Failing to submit verification documents within the mandatory period creates doubts over their existence. The authorities concerned regularly conduct verification of the existing beneficiaries or their spouses for the continuation of their pension under the scheme. That is one of the reasons for the delay. "The total number of existing pensioners or their spouses is around 2600. The board has also received about 30 new applications for availing the scheme, said the official on the condition of anonymity.
The Home department also released Rs 2.55 crore to pay 2,495 beneficiaries of the JP Senani Pension scheme or their spouses last month. However, their pensions were not pending. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in 2009 launched the pension scheme named after Jayprakash Narayan for those who served jail terms in the JP-led movement during the emergency era in the 1970s, or their spouses.
The state government last year raised the pension amount for JP Senanis, who served different durations in jail during the JP movement. The pension amount of JP Senanis (JP's warriors) who spent in jail between one and six months from Rs 5000 to Rs 7500 and those who did so for more than six months from Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000.
Prominent beneficiaries under the scheme are RJD president and former chief minister Lalu Prasad and former deputy CM Sushil Modi. Though Nitish Kumar also fulfils the criteria for the pension, he never applied for it. While the number of existing pensioners who earn Rs 15,000 per month is 939, the number of pensioners who get Rs 7500 monthly is 1742.
JP had a formidable impact in shaping Indian society. He was a great leader and his legacy is still alive. Bihar has always given due respect to JP Senanis," senior RJD leader Shivanand Tiwary, who has worked closely with socialist leaders Jayaprakash Narayan and Ram Manohar Lohia, told PTI. This is surprising that these days, even those leaders who have nothing to do with JP's ideologies, are also talking about him, Tiwary said. (PTI)
