Bhaktapur, October 1

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Krishna Bahadur Mahara today said the government had failed to guide its nation’s youths to the right direction during the Maoist insurgency in Nepal, leading to more than 40 per cent of the country’s youth to migrate to other countries for employment.

“We delayed in taking the right decision and involved our youths in war, squandering their talents and compromising on their and the nation’s future,”

Speaking at the programme ‘Nepali Youth International Conference’ organised by the Ministry of Youth and Sports and Non-Resident Nepali Association today, Minister Mahara asserted that the country’s youths ‘power’ the nation, and the government would extend its full support in empowering them. Minister Mahara said, “Our country has seen several political changes in its history. The recent change of the government was for the good of the nation, and we have to accept that. The new government will play a strong role in uplifting the lives of the youths of the nation.”

The 2011 census held in the country showed that young people between the ages of 16 to 40 amount to 40.35 per cent of the total population of Nepal. More than 500,000 Nepali youths have migrated to foreign countries for employment. Of the total youths working abroad, 74 per cent work in Gulf countries and 20 per cent in European and American countries. Minister for Youth and Sports Daljit BK Sripali said the country could generate jobs for the youth in agriculture, water resource, tourism, and energy production. “We are willing to support NRNs and Nepali youths if they desire to collaborate in development projects in the country. We are also willing to ensure security of tourists who visit our country and express interest in investing in the industrial sector,” said Minister Sripali.

“Although a large share of remittance enter the country today, Nepali migrant workers continue to have a very poor quality of life,” said Secretary of Ministry of Youth and Sports.