Hyderabad: Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president KT Rama Rao (KTR) on Friday, August 8 slammed the Telangana government for allegedly scrapping accident insurance of Rs 5 lakh for private drivers.
Criticising the move, the Sircilla MLA said that in 20 months “the deceitful Revanth government” has cheated all sections and that it “drowned” the drivers in the private sector into distress.
“Before the elections, Revanth showed paradise in the palm of the hand to unorganized sector workers and gig workers… but after ascending to power, he has swept away even the existing scheme!,” said KTR in a post on X.
He claimed that the BRS government launched an accident insurance scheme of Rs 5 lakh for drivers. However, the Congress government stopped it by defaulting on the insurance premium, leaving the families of poor drivers in anguish.
“While KCR provided confidence in the future of people from all walks of life with numerous schemes like farmer insurance, weaver insurance, and driver insurance, this harsh Congress government is singing the funeral song for each scheme, making the future of poor families uncertain.
“We demand that the state government immediately restart the Rs 5 lakh accident insurance scheme and settle the pending claims at once. Otherwise, we warn that we will undertake a massive agitation on behalf of the drivers and bend the neck of this inhumane government,” KTR concluded.
Scheme expired in October 2024
The Rs 5 Lakh Accident Insurance Scheme for auto drivers (transport and non-transport), Home Guards and accredited journalists in Telangana has expired, leaving more than 13.11 lakh registered beneficiaries without protection.
The scheme, which was initiated in 2015 as a critical form of social security, lapsed on October 8, 2024, and has not yet been renewed.
Concerns were raised over unsettled claims from the 2019-2024 period.
The Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) has issued a formal appeal to the Government of Telangana, urging immediate action to revive and expand the scheme. Their key demands include:
- Shifting implementation responsibilities to the Transport Department to streamline execution.
- Increasing the insurance coverage to Rs 10 lakh, with added benefits for accidental disability and hospitalisation.
- Ensuring automatic and timely policy renewal to prevent future lapses.
- Running public awareness campaigns to help eligible individuals understand how to enrol and claim benefits.
