Kathmandu, September 30

Due to the perennial rise in the number of unemployed youths in the country, the government is planning to allocate at least 20 per cent of the development budget for employment generating activities.

Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security (MoLESS), Gokarna Bista, said that the ministry has already started taking initiatives to work on the proposal. “We will soon forward our proposal to the Cabinet for its approval.”

“At present, we are in the initial phase of our planning and though we have planned to separate 20 per cent of the development budget for creating domestic jobs, the figure could rise,” said Minister Bista, adding that how much needs to be allocated for the purpose will be determined once the proposal is finalised.

Earlier, MoLESS had formed an internal study committee to find out the employment situation in the country. The committee had submitted its report to the ministry, which stated that there is a huge scope of increasing employment opportunities in the country. “We will try to frame policies whereby we will be able to assure the youth of employment opportunities.”

Minister Bista also informed that the government is planning to allow only skilled human resources to seek employment opportunities abroad, putting a brake on the outflow of unskilled and semi-skilled workers.

At a discussion programme organised by MoLESS in the Capital today, the ministry held talks with representatives of the sister organisations of major political parties and took their feedback and suggestions on how employment opportunities could be increased in the country.

The representatives of the political parties have suggested the government to expand the domestic labour market and minimise the flow of Nepali migrant workers to foreign job destinations.

Meanwhile, the budget for this fiscal and the government’s policies and programmes introduced by Finance Minister Yubaraj Khatiwada clearly state that the Prime Minister Employment Programme will be launched this fiscal to generate additional employment opportunities in the country. The government has also stated that it will introduce policies to end overseas labour supply within the next five years.

The government is planning to provide skills training for youths which offer on-the-job training and internship facilities for more than 100,000 youths this fiscal. To facilitate this on-the-job training process, government will soon establish employment information centres in all 753 local bodies.

Earlier, the government had announced it will provide up to 120 days’ unemployment allowance per year to those who are jobless. This initiative is also part of the Prime Minister Employment Programme.