Kathmandu, November 7:

With a view to streamlining the foreign employment sector, the government today proposed a new bill that may see manpower agencies depositing Rs 3.0 million in cash.

Minister for Physical Planning and Works Gopal Man Shrestha tabled the bill on behalf of the Minister of State for Labour and Transport Management, Ramesh Lekhak, in the House of Representatives (HoR). This bill, if passed, will replace some two-decade-old Foreign Employment Act-1985, which has drawn heavy criticism for being ‘out-dated’ and ‘impractical.’

The new bill proposes raising the amount of cash to be deposited by manpower agencies to Rs 3.0 million from the existing Rs 0.5 million.

This provision will apply to all new agencies, while the existing companies should make arrangements accordingly within a year of the promulgation of the act. It has also envisaged a separate Department of Foreign Employment to ensure effective and result-oriented administrative activities. The department will work under the Ministry of Labour and Transport Management.

Meanwhile, a session of the House of Representatives today unanimously passed the National Judicial Academy Bill 2063, Drinking Water Management Board Bill 2063 and Electronic Transaction Bill 2063. The Bills were presented by Minister of Physical Planning and Construction Gopal Man Shreshta, Minister of Law Justice and Parliamentary Narendra Bikram Nembang and Minister of Environment, Science and Technology Man Bahadur Bishwokarma.