Hyderabad: The family of a migrant worker from Telangana who died in Bahrain last year has appealed to the state government to release the Rs 5 lakh ex gratia assistance, which remains pending due to missing documents.
Kavva Shankar, a native of Balkonda mandal in Nizamabad district, died on March 3, 2024. His family was informed of the tragedy by a woman residing in Bahrain. The body was repatriated to India and the funeral was held in his hometown on March 21.
Shankar had worked in the Gulf country for nearly 13 years and had not returned home during that period. He is survived by his wife, Kavva Nurse (Lakshmi Bhai), and four daughters — 29-year-old Archana, 25-year-old Rachana, 23-year-old Ruchitha and 12-year-old Tanvisha.
After his death, the family applied for the ex gratia benefit provided by the Telangana government to the families of expatriate workers who die abroad. However, officials have withheld approval, citing the absence of the original passport and the expiry of Shankar’s Bahrain residence permit, which lapsed on April 6, 2019.
According to his wife, the documents had expired while he was working under a different sponsor. “He had not come to India for more than 13 years. It was said that a white passport was sent along with the body, but we do not have it now,” she said.
She submitted her appeal at the CM Pravasi Prajavani programme in Hyderabad on Friday, October 24, urging Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy to consider her plea on humanitarian grounds and release the ex gratia.
Telangana NRI Advisory Committee Chairman Manda Bheem Reddy and Emigrants Welfare Forum General Secretary B.L. Surendranath have extended guidance to the bereaved family. Former MLA and State Mineral Development Corporation Chairman Anil Eeravatri assured that he would take up the matter with concerned officials to ensure the family receives the assistance.
There are an estimated 15 lakh migrant workers from Telangana employed across the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.
To support families of deceased expats, the Congress government issued G O No. 205 on September 16, 2024, paving the way for financial aid of Rs 5 lakh to the dependents of Gulf migrants who lose their lives while working abroad.
Note: This article has been updated for clarity.
