Back Home, Back to Business: Govt’s New Initiative

The Minister for Labour, Employment, and Social Security, Dol Prasad Aryal, announced today that the government is preparing to implement the Returnee Entrepreneurship Programme, aimed at creating employment opportunities for Nepali migrant workers returning to the country. This announcement was made during the discussion on the Appropriation Bill, 2081, in the House of Representatives (HoR) meeting on Sunday.

Minister Aryal emphasized the urgent need to create a conducive environment to retain returnee migrants within Nepal. The new programme seeks to harness the knowledge, skills, and capital these workers have acquired abroad, fostering entrepreneurship and employment within the country.

In addition to the entrepreneurship initiative, reintegration programmes are being implemented at 20 local levels in Koshi and Madhes provinces. These programmes are designed to support returnees in adapting back into the local economy and community.

A notable administrative improvement includes the issuance of labour permits to migrant workers within an hour, facilitated by operating the Labor Office in two shifts. This change aims to streamline the process and reduce the time burden on workers.

Further restructuring is planned for the Prime Minister’s Employment Programme to align it more closely with skill development and entrepreneurship. Minister Aryal also introduced the National Employment Management Information System, which will function as an employment bank, efficiently connecting job seekers with potential employers.

Addressing the issue of compensation, Minister Aryal proposed increasing the amount to Rs 1 million for families of deceased workers who were employed abroad. He also mentioned that economic assistance and scholarships for the families of injured or deceased workers have been simplified.

The government is actively pursuing new labour markets and renewing existing labour agreements with various countries. Recent agreements have been signed with Germany and Romania, and plans are in place to establish bilateral labour agreements with three additional countries as per the upcoming fiscal year’s budget.

In response to queries from HoR members, Minister Aryal disclosed that over the past four years, approximately 4,000 Nepalis working abroad have lost their lives, while 870 others have sustained critical injuries.