Dubai: The chief Minister of the South Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, N. Chandrababu Naidu, will visit the UAE from Saturday to launch a host of welfare initiatives for the expats from the state.
Naidu will be in the UAE from October 21 to 24 and will meet with leaders, businessmen and community members, coordinators of the Andhra Pradesh Non-Resident Telugu (APNRT) UAE group told Gulf News.
He will attend a ‘meet-and-greet’ session with members of the community at the Shaikh Rashid Auditorium of The Indian High School on Saturday evening. Naidu will be accompanied by APNRT minister Kollu Ravindra, finance minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, APNRT president Ravi Kumar Vemuru and other officials.
Members of the large Telugu-speaking community from the state in the UAE have been invited to attend the event where Naidu will launch the schemes under the “AP migrants’ welfare and development policy” approved by the state cabinet a week ago.
The policy with a budget of Rs400 million [Dh22.60 million] aims at the welfare, safety and rehabilitation of the APNRT people.
It provides a comprehensive framework with features like a 24X7 helpline, accident and health insurance cover, legal assistance and an emergency mobilisation and repatriation fund.
As many as 2.5 million NRTs from around the world will be benefited through this, according to the state government. Almost 900,000 NRTs reside in the Gulf countries.
Insurance scheme
The main feature of the policy, which will be beneficial to all APNRTs in the UAE, is an insurance scheme.
Under the scheme, insurance coverage of Rs1 million for accidental death or permanent disability, up to Rs100,000 for hospitalisation and up to Rs45,000 for legal expenses will be provided.
Unlike the insurance provided by the central government of India, this insurance will be applicable to holders of both ECR [emigration clearance required] and ECNR [emigration clearance not required] passport-holders migrating from Andhra Pradesh for the purpose of employment or education.
The estimated premium payable to insurance companies is Rs375 for a period of three years (Rs125 per annum). This will have contribution of Rs150 (Rs50 per annum) by the insured emigrant and Rs225 (Rs75 per annum) by the government of Andhra Pradesh.
Helpline
A 24X7 helpline will be set up for grievance redressal of NRTs from Andhra Pradesh.
The centre in the state will take up the grievances of the expats with the agencies concerned for redressal. Accordingly, it will convey to them a suitable course of action to be taken or provide guidance or counselling.
An emergency fund will support the expats facing acute emergency in the residing country and also during their journey till they reach their native place.
At present, the state has no mechanism available to take care of the emergency needs of the emigrants either in the residing country or after their arrival to the home country.
Andhra Pradesh Non-Resident Telugu Society (APNRTS), a government-owned body operational since May 2016, will operationalise the policy and run a Migrant Workers’ Resource Centre.
Under the policy, the NRTs will be provided skill development training.
Naidu’s first visit as the chief minister after the state split into Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in 2014, also aims to encourage entrepreneurs among the APNRTs to invest in the state.
Efforts are also on to increase remittances from APNRTs to Andhra Pradesh from the present estimated rate of Rs300 billion per annum.
