Telangana’s migrant worker policy to focus on insurance, food & education

HYDERABAD: Soon, Telangana might emerge as one of the first states in India to roll out a migrant workers policy, enabling them to participate “in the economic activity” of the state.

A draft policy – a copy of which is available with the TOI – assures numerous benefits for migrant workers and their families, including accident insurance, ration cards, affordable rental housing, school admissions, among others. It also sets out to offer health benefits under the Ayushman Bharat scheme and travel grant – “to and from to the native place of a worker” -- for emergency cases.

At present, the government is in the process of collating data on the count of migrant workers in Telangana. The deadline for the survey is July 15.

“Different departments have been assigned different sectors where these workers are employed – industries, brick kilns, construction, street vendors etc. Once we have the numbers, the draft will be taken to the cabinet,” said Jayesh Ranjan, principal secretary of industries and commerce. He added: “The insurance and travel grant are among our unique features that no other state has considered so far.”

While the official count is still awaited, rough estimates of civil society groups suggest that Telangana is home to about 15 lakh migrant workers – a sizeable population working in brick kilns, construction sites and the food business. Logistics and security are other segments that employ a large group of migrants.

“Last year’s migrant crisis brought to fore two things -- the living condition of the migrant workforce and the critical role they play in the state’s economy,” said Kiran Kumar Vissa of Rythu Swarajya Vedika who worked closely with the government on this draft. “This policy is pertinent to establish an identity for this section of workers in Telangana and thereby allow them access to basic amenities – food security, shelter, health etc.”

Amid the first wave of Covid-19, roughly two to three lakh migrant workers from Telangana returned to their home states for lack of food, shelter and employment here. “The registration of workers will be a dynamic process to ensure that all migrants travelling for work to Telangana are covered under the policy,” Ranjan added.