Welfare Policy for Migrant Workers: The committee aims to address issues faced by Telangana’s migrant workers, especially those employed in Gulf countries
The Telangana government has announced the formation of a Non-Resident India (NRI) advisory committee to tackle the challenges faced by migrant workers from the state, particularly those working in Gulf nations such as Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. The committee will offer policy recommendations to guide the state in drafting a comprehensive welfare framework for these workers, reported timesofindia.indiatimes.com.
The advisory body will be chaired by former IFS officer BM Vinod Kumar, with Mandha Bheem Reddy appointed as vice chairman. Other key members include MLAs Aadi Srinivas, Medipally Satyam, R Bhupati Reddy, former MLC T Jeevan Reddy, and E Anil Kumar, Chairman of Telangana Mineral Development Corporation.
The state’s new NRI panel is part of CM Revanth Reddy’s mission to ensure support for migrant workers and their families, including financial aid and long-term welfare policies.
The initiative is a cornerstone of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s commitment to safeguard the interests of migrant workers and their families. As part of this effort, the Telangana government has already disbursed ₹8.45 crore to families of 169 migrant workers who lost their lives abroad in the financial year 2024-25. An ex gratia payment of ₹5 lakh is provided to each bereaved family, regardless of the cause of death — a promise made by the Congress before coming to power in 2023.
The first family to benefit from this ex gratia was that of Puli Anjaiah from Karimnagar, who died in Saudi Arabia. His wife, Puli Veeramma, received the financial assistance on November 29, 2024.
Families of deceased migrant workers have shared stories of hardship, including 34-year-old Makuri Yamuna, whose husband Vinod died in a pipeline fitting accident in Bahrain. Now raising two young children, Yamuna expressed gratitude for the government’s financial help but also hopes for employment to secure her family’s future.
Similarly, Sunitha, the wife of Matta Pedda Narasaiah from Fathepur, Armoor, who passed away from a brain stroke in Dubai in June 2024, was left to care for three children. The government deposited the promised financial aid into her account, offering some relief amid her struggles.
