KATHMANDU, JUNE 4

Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security Sharat Singh Bhandari has laid emphasis on resolving issues related to labour and employment with due diligence as well as accelerating the ministry's programmes for effective results.

Speaking at a press conference held at the ministry today, Minister Bhandari mentioned that the MoLESS is working towards establishing easy access for workers to the labour market by introducing a one-door integrated system for all kinds of services related to labour and employment, reforming the Prime Minister Employment Programme for increased effectiveness, formation of a task force to review domestic and international practices and to take action against fraud-related activities by agents and high service charges taken by manpower agencies in the name of foreign employment

'The ministry is aware of the commitments made for reforms in the sector and we are trying to address the issues raised and achieve the targeted results. Over 15,000 complaints related to fraud have been received by the ministry and concerned departments. We have already advised stakeholder agencies to work under the legal provisions and have warned of action otherwise and a task force will address the issues related to high service charges,' he said.

Minister Bhandari also shared that priority will be given to curtailing the exploitation of labourers and that a database of returnee migrant workers will be maintained to fully utilise and increase the effectiveness of the reintegration programme.

Similarly, Secretary Ek Narayan Aryal said that emphasis will be placed on the use of the latest technology to make the foreign employment and labour sector systematic and transparent. He informed that the work related to labour, foreign employment, and skill training will be made effective from all local levels in accordance with the essence and spirit of federalism.

'We are sending workers to 111 countries so far, while Nepali migrant workers can be found in 178 countries across the globe. We are working to open access for migrant workers in all countries which share bilateral relations with Nepal. With demands for migrant workers increasing around the world, including in Europe, opening access for Nepali workers to such countries can help them earn more and will also increase remittance inflow into the country,' he said.

Rajiv Pokharel, joint secretary of the ministry, shared that work will be started in the near future to prevent the distortions and discrepancies seen in the foreign employment and labour sector. He also said that Nepal is taking initiatives to ink labour agreements with Germany and Romania.

Furthermore, unveiling the ministry's policies and programmes for the upcoming fiscal year 2023-24, Pokharel shared that the ministry will work to ensure the rights and minimum wages for workers, carry labour audits in government and private establishments, provide employment to 500,000 within the country under the government's campaign 'Yuwa Sanga Sarkar, Hunechaina Berojgar' within two years in coordination with the private sector, establish a national technical and vocational training institute to produce skilled human resources according to the demand of the labour market, bring round-the-clock hotline service into operation for receiving complaints related to foreign employment, make the labour help desks in Nepali embassies more organised and effective, among others.

Similarly, it has been decided to provide services from the Employment Service Centre at all 753 local Levels, expand Foreign Employment Information Management System (FEIMS) to establish linkage between employers and workers going for foreign employment, collaborate with the South Korean government for training and skill development, and make policy reforms and improvements in laws, regulations, guidelines, and procedures, as part of the ministry's planned course of action for the near future.

A version of this article appears in the print on June 5, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.