Why Guest workers feel safer in Kerala?

Walking out following a five-day hospitalising in Kochi, guest worker Amir Anzari is a relieved man. Not that he has fully recovered from his accident injuries, but that he only had to pay less than Rs 1000 despite running up a bill of Rs 30,000. The balance amount? It was paid by the Kerala government through its Awas insurance scheme for guest workers.

Amir was enrolled for the Awas health insurance scheme last year and was only fortunate to utilise the insurance amount to pay up the medical bill following an accident. A concrete finisher, Amir earns only less than Rs 700 a day, and a hospital bill of that big an amount without any insurance cover would take away his three months' savings.

It is the first time that a state in the country is launching a scheme that would provide health coverage for the guest workers. The project was launched by Health Minister K K Shylaja by issuing identity cards to guest workers. Under the programme, migrant labourers working in Kerala would get free treatment worth Rs 15,000 from government hospitals as well as empanelled private hospitals.

The government provides an accident coverage of Rs 2 lakh, apart from the normal insurance amount. Besides, the state has decided to include in the scheme, those who are bedridden after meeting with life-threatening accidents and those who are unable to work due to heavy construction site accidents. Under the supervision of district collectors, monitoring committees were also set up in every district. The intended beneficiaries of the scheme are aged between 18 years and 60 years.

The workers can reach out to the district labour officer to register a complaint or queries about the policy, and if they have an appeal, they can see the labour commissioner. The labour department is taking care of the distribution of identity cards and the enrolment of beneficiaries. Under the Kerala Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board, the government has also introduced the Migrant Labourers Welfare Scheme for the guest workers in Kerala. To ensure proper hygiene and good health for the guest workers, a task force was also formed.

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