Hyderabad: Telangana transport and BC welfare minister Ponnam Prabhakar has proposed the establishment of an advisory committee to focus on the welfare of Gulf workers. Additionally, a special Praja Vani counter will be opened from the September 20 to assist those currently working in the Gulf.
Ponnam Prabhakar chaired a meeting with MLAs from areas with substantial gulf worker populations. The session addressed five critical issues faced by gulf workers.
Prabhakar suggested that the government will establish an advisory committee to focus on gulf workers’ welfare. He suggested that MLAs, MLCs, and leaders from affected areas be included in the advisory committee and called for a Government Ordinance (GO) to officially establish this initiative.
Ponnam Prabhakar announced that a special counter for Gulf workers will be opened from the 20th of this month as part of the ongoing Prajavani initiative. He assured that steps will be taken to secure 100 percent admission for the children of gulf workers in gurukula schools and colleges.
Additionally, he pledged that families of workers who have died in Gulf countries will receive Rs. 5 lakhs from the Congress government, promising to bring this matter to the government’s attention.
The NRI Cell has recommended providing an ex-gratia payment of Rs. 1 lakh to the families of individuals who died in Gulf countries, viewing the gesture from a humanitarian perspective.
Government whip and MLA Adi Srinivas stated that the repatriation of deceased gulf workers often takes over a week, and called for the process to be completed within 48 hours. He praised Kerala’s Gulf policy as the best in the country and suggested studying it as a model for improving repatriation procedures.
