HYDERABAD: For over three years, the family of cab driver Singapuram Little has been awaiting a Rs 5 lakh compensation under the Telangana government’s now-defunct Accident Insurance Scheme.
Introduced in 2015 for transport drivers, Home Guards and journalists, the scheme expired on October 8, 2024, leaving more than 13.5 lakh beneficiaries without coverage.
Little, 30, from Station Ghanpur in Jangaon district, died in a road accident in 2022. He is survived by his wife and two children. His cousin S Praveen, also a cab driver, said the family has repeatedly approached various departments for the payout, but has received no response.
“The money could have helped with the children’s schooling and daily expenses,” he said.
Little’s case is one of 558 pending claims filed between 2015 and 2024, together amounting to Rs 27.90 crore. Another such case is that of 28-year-old driver Kaveti Praveen, who died in 2023. Jangaon Transport Stand president Prabhakar said delays in disbursing compensation point to poor coordination between the Labour and Transport departments and insurance companies.
According to the Labour Department, 1,496 claims were filed over the nine-year period, of which 938 were cleared.
Gig workers left out
The Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) has also flagged lapses in compensation disbursal for gig workers. Founder-president Shaik Salauddin said three delivery executives who died in the last six months have not received any compensation.
One such case is that of Ahmed Bin Abdul Qadar, 27, who died while on duty in January. His brother-in-law Syed Junaid said the family submitted all necessary documents but has yet to hear back from the authorities. “His son is now three years old, and we are struggling even to pay school fees,” Junaid said.
Salauddin urged the state government to revive the insurance scheme with a higher compensation ceiling of Rs 10 lakh, and include coverage for accidental disability and hospitalisation. “This is more than a lapse in policy and it’s affecting families who depend on these payouts to survive,” he said.
Journalists demand exclusive scheme
Journalist unions have raised concerns about being grouped with transport workers under the same scheme.
Telangana State Union of Working Journalists (TUWJ) president Virahat Ali said the government should introduce welfare measures tailored to journalists, including a pension scheme.
“Journalists have a distinct professional role and must be treated on par with other employees in the state,” he said. He added that journalist associations have repeatedly lobbied for exclusive schemes and warned that fresh agitations may be launched if their demands are not met.
Virahat Ali also noted that 14 states currently provide pensions to journalists, ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000, and called for similar provisions in Telangana.