HYDERABAD: Around 1 lakh farmers from the State go to Gulf countries to work as labourers in construction sites, drivers and so on.
Often, due to natural and unnatural reasons, they pass away in these countries.
What happens to their families after that?
While farmers who reside in the State are eligible for the insurance scheme, Rythu Bima, those working overseas often miss out on the same.
Rythu Bima, also known as Rythu Bandhu Group Life Insurance Scheme, covers farmers in the age group of 18-59. The secured farmer’s nominee is paid `5 lakh in case of his/her death. For enrolling in the scheme, wherein the State government has tied up with Life Insurance Corporation (LIC), a farmer has to sign a proposal form.
Speaking to Express, migrants rights activist Bheem Reddy Mandha said, “Out of the 1 lakh NRI farmers, only around 10,000 are able to return to sign the proposal form. The rest who do not, are not eligible for the Rs 5 lakh insurance. These labourers seldom get leave from their work. When they do, they can come and sign this form.” Going by Reddy’s estimates, only 10 per cent of the total overseas migrant workforce is effectively able to claim insurance under the scheme.
“I get myriad cases on a monthly basis, reporting deaths of migrants in the Gulf countries. Their families are now at their wits’ end on how to deal with the financial situation,” said Reddy, while adding that the present method of enrolling should be changed by the government to ensure that the maximum number of farmers can avail benefits under the scheme.
Reddy recommended the ‘mail order business’ method that is used by the LIC wherein NRIs can obtain insurance cover from their present country of residence.
Reddy said that this method would ensure that migrants who are not able to come to India for the formality, would still get the benefits of the scheme.