Colombo, Sept. 24 (Daily Mirror) – The insurance compensation paid to a worker employed abroad in the event of death while on duty has been increased to Rs. 2 million, The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) announced.
SLBFE Chairman Kosala Wickramasinghe said at a special media briefing that until now the compensation stood at Rs. 600,000, but with an additional Rs. 1.4 million, the total amount has now been raised to Rs. 2 million.
Meanwhile, the Bureau has also launched a loan scheme for the spouses of overseas workers in Sri Lanka to help them start businesses. In addition, the scholarship amount provided to the children of migrant workers is set to be increased, and laptops will be given to those pursuing higher education.
Mr. Wickramasinghe further said that remittances of US$ 5.1 billion had been sent to the country by overseas workers as of August this year, with the figure expected to rise to US$ 7.2 billion by year-end.
He added that 226,240 Sri Lankans are currently employed abroad, and the number is expected to reach 300,000 by the end of the year.
