Hyderabad: An ex-gratia of Rs five lakh is being provided to the families of Telangana natives who die while working in the Gulf countries, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy said on Wednesday.
State Congress NRI Cell convenor Manda Bheen Reddy said about 160 people from Telangana died in Gulf countries till date since December 7 last year.
Addressing a public meeting in Rajanna Sircilla district as part of the Congress government’s first anniversary celebrations, the CM said the government is considering setting up a special board for the welfare of the ‘Gulf workers’.
He said a large number of youth from the Rajanna Sircilla and its neighbouring districts go to Gulf countries in search of livelihood.
As part of welfare measures for the Gulf workers, the state government issued an order in September for providing ex-gratia of Rs five lakh from December 7 last year when the Congress assumed office.
Manda Bheem Reddy said 200 workers from Telangana die in Gulf countries on an average every year.
The state government released Rs 6.45 crore last month and Rs one crore on Wednesday to provide ex-gratia to the legal heirs of deceased Gulf workers, he said.
Besides ex-gratia, the government also decided to constitute an advisory committee to study Gulf workers’ welfare and give priority to their children for admission in government residential schools.
