Gulf ex-gratia denied to migrant workers from Telangana who die in other countries
Migrant labourers, who died in other countries, have been denied the ex gratia of Rs.5 lakh being given to family members of those who die in the Gulf by the State government. Family members, who had pinned their hopes on the ex gratia, are unhappy with the government’s decision.
Karimnagar: Migrant labourers, who died in other countries, have been denied the ex gratia of Rs.5 lakh being given to family members of those who die in the Gulf by the State government. Family members, who had pinned their hopes on the ex gratia, are unhappy with the government’s decision.
In continuation to GO 205 on the ex gratia scheme issued on September 16, the State government issued guidelines on October 16 through GO 216. According to the guidelines, migrant labourers who died on or after December 7, 2023, in the seven Gulf countries such as Bahrain, Kuwait, Iran, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates, were eligible for the scheme.
However, there are also migrations to Emigration Check Required (ECR) countries from the State. In 1983, the Indian government notified 18 ECR countries since they do not have strict laws regulating the entry and employment of foreign nationals.
The applications of Gone Surrender and Nadipottu Sattaiah from Kothapeta, Yendapalli mandal of Jagtial district, were rejected on the ground that the duo died in non-listed countries. While Surender died in Singapore, Sattaiah died in Ukraine.
The relatives of these people want the State government to expand the ex gratia eligibility to all ECR countries. Since seven countries have already been covered, they wanted the government to include the remaining 11 countries such as Afghanistan, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria, Yemen, Indonesia and Thailand. Besides ECR countries, a few other countries such as Singapore, Israel, Cambodia, Russia, Ukraine and Maldives should also be included, they say.
On the other hand, employment proof including work visa and employment contract at the time of death has become another problem for family members of the deceased. There are incidents of people leaving companies unable to tolerate harassment by the management. On the other hand, there are also incidents of agents cheating the people by promising permanent jobs by taking them to Gulf countries on visit visa.
Such people are illegal residents there and if they die, it is not possible for their family members to produce employment proof, Telangana Gulf Workers Joint Action Committee Chairman Guggilla Ravi Goud told Telangana Today, demanding that the State government should provide ex gratia to the kin of all dead labourers without employment proof.
Besides countries listed in the GO, people were also migrating to Singapore, Malaysia and other countries to work as garden labourers and other works at lower salaries. So, the government should expand the ex gratia eligibility to other ECR countries, Pravasi Mithra Labour union president Swadesh Parkipandla said.
