Minister Yadav: Government Prioritizes Domestic Job Creation

Kathmandu. Youth, Labour and Employment Minister Ramji Yadav has stated that the government has given high priority to creating domestic employment.

Responding to questions raised during the ministry-wise discussion on the Appropriation Bill in the National Assembly on Monday, he said the government's focus is on creating dignified employment within Nepal. For this, he said, the regulation of the labour sector and employment promotion programs have been intensified.

Minister Yadav informed that labour inspection has been given strategic priority to effectively implement labour rights, dignified work, and worker safety. According to him, labour inspection has been completed in 1,321 establishments in the last 100 days.

He stated that Rs 44,096,205 has been collected as fines and settlements from labour exploitation cases during worker complaints, applications, and inspections. He clarified that the rate of labour inspection has increased by 60 percent compared to the last 3 years and 9 months, and along with action in regulating the labour sector, a policy of encouragement has also been adopted.

Minister Yadav informed that the draft of the National Employment Policy, 2083, is in the final stage with the objective of updating the National Employment Policy, 2071. He also stated that the process of formulating a Care Economy Policy, the first of its kind in Nepal, has been initiated. Minister Yadav said, 'The ministry has given top priority to domestic employment. The government has already declared the decade from 2083 as the Employment Promotion Decade. Labour rights, dignified work, and worker safety are not just legal commitments; labour inspection has been strategically advanced with priority to effectively implement these rights at the workplace.'

Minister Yadav claimed that the government is also working on a war footing to make foreign employment safe and dignified. Informing that cases of fraud are being settled rapidly by the Department of Foreign Employment, he said that in the last three months, action has been taken on 1,004 institutional and individual complaints, and Rs 300,700,000 in compensation has been provided to the victims.

In the current fiscal year, from Saun to Chait, 882 cases were settled, and Rs 126,700,000 in compensation was provided. He presented data showing that the rate of case investigation and settlement has increased by 241 percent and the rate of victims receiving compensation has increased by 672 percent in the last 3 months.

He clarified that creating dignified employment opportunities for youth in Nepal and making foreign employment safe and respectable is the common priority of the government.