Puducherry: Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy yesterday announced a hike of Rs 1,000 for freedom fighters in the union territory.
The 58th De Jure Transfer Day event was organised yesterday in which freedom fighters were felicitated by the government. Speaker V P Sivakolundhu, AIADMK legislature party leader A Anbalagan and members of freedom fighters associations were present during the occasion.
Speaking at the event, Narayanasamy said currently around 1,380 freedom fighters or their descendants were getting the pension sponsored by the territorial government while 109 were getting the Central government pension. Till now pension of Rs 8,000 was paid to each freedom fighter monthly and now onward, it would be increased to Rs 9,000 a month.
He further went on to say that there was a plea for a raise in the State government-sponsored pension
Earlier, Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi and Narayanasamy separately paid tribute to freedom fighters at Keezhoor village, where the then French rule had conducted a referendum on 17 October 1954. The referendum was to ascertain the wish of the people’s representatives on the future of French rule in Puducherry and constituent regions of Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam.
After a majority of them expressed the desire that French establishments in India be merged with the Indian Union, a Treaty of Cession was signed between French and Indian governments leading first to ‘de facto’ merger of French establishments with the Indian Union with effect from 1 November 1954.
De Jure transfer was accomplished on 16 August 1962 after ratification of the treaty in French Parliament.