Nizamabad: Gulf migrant workers are hopeful that the Congress government will announce the welfare schemes for them before the Lok Sabha elections. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy assured the migrant workers from the state and their family members of possible help as promised in the party election manifesto. Around 15 lakh workers from Telangana are working in Gulf countries and around 30 lakh have returned from the Gulf to their native places in the state.
During the Assembly elections, Gulf migrants and their family members supported Congress resulting in the victory of its MLAs giving tough competition to then BRS MLAs. The Congress promised to set up of Pravasi Board for the welfare of migrant workers. However, due to various reasons, the migrants who died in Gulf countries didn’t get any assistance from the government.
Gulf migrants' rights activists demanded Rs 5 lakh ex gratia to the kin of deceased workers. In addition, they urged to include the migrant workers' names in their ration cards and Arogyasri health cards. Congress MLC T. Jeevan Reddy, along with migrant worker leaders, met Chief Minister Revanth Reddy seeking welfare schemes for them. The Chief Minister also positively reacted to sort out the problems of migrant workers.
On the other hand, transport minister Ponnam Prabhakar wrote a letter to the Chief Minister over the announcement of Rs.5 lakh ex gratia to the family members of the deceased migrants and the setting up of the Gulf Workers Welfare Board. The minister also spoke to the Chief Minister’s secretary Shahnawaz Qasim over the issues of migrants.
TPCC NRI cell chairman B.M. Vinod Kumar, convenor Mandha Bheem Reddy and TPCC Gulf wing convener Singireddy Naresh Reddy submitted a memorandum in this regard. They also met Shahanawaz Qasim and general administration department NRI officer E. Chitti Babu.
