Hyderabad: The Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) NRI cell has demanded compensation for migrant workers who died in Qatar.
The NRI cell has demanded the Central government set up consulates of all gulf countries in Hyderabad. It has also called for introducing a bill to set up Gulf Board and a comprehensive NRI policy. They demanded that for the welfare of the Gulf workers, the state government should allocate Rs 500 crore in the annual budget.
The families of the deceased should be granted Rs 5 lakh as ex gratia. The committee called for the ‘Pravasi Yogakshema’ scheme to be introduced for migrant workers including life insurance, accident insurance, health insurance and pension. “Food security, pension and ‘Aarogyasri’ (Free health insurance) scheme should be extended to Gulf workers and their families,” said the letter.
The open letter by the TPPC also called for the inclusion of natural death in ‘Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Yojana’ (PBBY), an accidental insurance policy worth Rs 10 lakh. PBBY Insurance scheme should be applicable to everyone travelling to gulf nations irrespective of their passport status.
“The Centre should take initiative on this issue which is under the Ministry of External Affairs,” the letter further read.
The TPCC further urged the centre to provide employment to migrant workers who returned from the gulf during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also demanded legal assistance for migrant workers to get their salary arrears, bonus, PF, and gratuity (End of Service Benefits) from their foreign employers.
The Telangana Congress also stated that the FIFA committee, organizing the Football World Cup and the Qatar government are making a profit of USD 17 billion in structures built with the sweat of migrant workers. However, no compensation is given to the dead.
“The Government of India should make diplomatic efforts to compensate for deceased migrant workers,” demanded the congress.
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