KATHMANDU, JULY 12
An agreement has been reached to implement social security schemes for workers and stakeholders employed in the informal sector by introducing a contribution-based social security scheme from today onwards.
In order to expand the social security scheme for workers in the informal sector, an agreement was signed between the Social Security Fund (SSF) and Phedikhola Rural Municipality in the presence of the Secretary of the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Fund, Kewal Prasad Bhandari.
In accordance with the social security plan operation procedure of approved informal sector workers and self-employed persons 2022, the rural municipality will pay 9.37 per cent on behalf of workers in the informal sector and 11 per cent on behalf of the related workers on a monthly basis to the SSF, after which they will be able to participate in various schemes run by the fund Similarly, in the procedure, self-employed persons can enjoy the benefits according to the procedure by contributing to the fund. As many as 714 workers working in the construction sector are set to join the fund from Phedikhola Rural Municipality.
On the occasion, SSF Chairman Ghanshyam Subedi and Executive Director of the fund Kapilmani Gyawali expressed their happiness that the fund has made progress in providing the facilities according to the procedure.
Similarly, Bhandari directed the fund to expand the social security programme and extend it to the common citizens and also called on all 753 municipalities to expand the programme to the informal sector as well. Contributors to the fund will be able to participate in various schemes brought forth by the fund such as drug treatment, health and maternity protection scheme, accident and disability protection scheme, dependent family protection scheme and old age protection scheme.
A version of this article appears in the print on July 13, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
