In a move that will benefit 1,100 unemployed and unmarried daughters of freedom fighters, the Union Cabinet on Thursday enhanced their basic pension to Rs 1,500 per month.

Hitherto, the eldest daughter of freedom fighters used to get Rs 600 and two other daughters Rs 350 each, Information and Broadcasting Minister S Jaipal Reddy told reporters after a Cabinet meeting.

He said freedom fighters' organisations had been demanding an increase in the basic pension for all categories, including widow/widower of deceased freedom fighters, besides daughters.

There was also a feeling that the amount of dependent pension given to unmarried and unemployed daughters was very low, he said.

"Having regard to the financial constraints, for the present, the Cabinet only considered increasing the dependent pension given to unemployed and unmarried daughters," he said, adding this would entail an expenditure of Rs 1.4 crore per annum.

The Cabinet also gave its approval for revision of pay scales of judicial officers in Union Territories, as recommended by the First National Judicial Pay Commission.

The revision of pay scales would be implemented with effect from July 1, 1996 by way of an executive order. The arrears of salary from July 1, 1996 to March 31, 2004 would be credited to the Provident Fund accounts of the officials, he said.

Reddy said there would be annual recurring expenditure of Rs 45.7 lakh and a one-time, non-recurring expenditure of Rs 3.4 crore by way of payments of arrears.

The Cabinet also gave its approval for amendments to the Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985, deleting the power of tribunals to award punishment for contempt.

An amendment bill would be introduced in the ensuing session of Parliament, Reddy said.

The amendment is being brought about as the National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution did not favour conferring the authority to the tribunals to award punishment for contempt.

However, the Central Administrative Tribunal would be able to invoke the power through the high court concerned, in accordance with the Contempt of Courts Act 1971, he added.

Reddy said the Cabinet also gave its ex-post facto approval to the agreement between India and Russia [Images] envisaging visa-free travel for diplomatic, official and service passport holders for a maximum period of 90 days in the Russian Federation. The agreement was signed on December 3, 2004, during the visit of the president of Russian Federation to India.