Goa to form panel to sort out claims of freedom fighters

Over fifty years after Goa's liberation from Portuguese rule, the state government has finally decided to form a high-level committee to verify applications of individuals who claim themselves to be "freedom fighters".
The state cabinet today gave its nod for setting up of the panel which will go through more than 360 applications which have been pending with government for over a decade.
"The committee will go through the applications and recommend to government on actual number of freedom fighters," Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar told reporters today.
The state government has decided to classify the applications of those claiming to be freedom fighters, into three categories.

Parsekar said the government will give one-time financial compensation to freedom fighters.
"Those who were jailed during the Portuguese regime would be paid Rs one lakh," the chief minister said, announcing that the other two categories of freedom fighters would be paid the sums of Rs 50,000 and Rs 25,000 each.
The Chief Minister said the government was considering various demands of freedom fighters.
Goa was liberated from the Portuguese colonial rule in the year 1961.