JP movement activists likely to get pension

PATNA: The Nitish Kumar-led NDA government is likely to announce a pension plan for those who actively participated in the 1974 JP movement. All those who participated in the agitation and served jail terms will be entitled to a monthly pension ranging from Rs 2,500 to Rs 5,000.

The scheme, which had been announced two years back, is likely to be implemented and a formal announcement is expected on June 5 by the chief minister to mark the Sampoorna Kranti Diwas.

On Saturday, Nitish held a high-level meeting with deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi, chief secretary, home secretary and finance secretary, apart from other ministers and movement activists like Ashwini Kumar Choubey and Sudha Srivastava to finalise the plan.

According to the scheme, those activists who underwent one to six months' imprisonment would be entitled to a pension of Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,000 and those who remained behind bars for over six months will get Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000 pension, sources said.

When the scheme was announced, applications had been invited and around 51,000 applications were received. But most of the applicants claimed that they went underground during the agitation.

A committee headed by Modi had been assigned to verify the bona fides of the applicants. Nitish, Modi, RJD chief Lalu Prasad and LJP supremo Ram Vilas Paswan are also the products of the movement.