Work under way to better foreign employment: Minister Bhandari

By Our Correspondent,Bardibas, Sept.30: Minister for Labour, Employment, and Social Security, Sarat Singh Bhandari, has said that significant progress has been made at the ministry level to enhance the safety, organisation, and productivity of foreign employment, which serves as the economic backbone of the country. 

Speaking at an interactive programme on the review of the Safer Migration Project (SaMi) and Reintegration of Returnee Migrant Workers (ReMi) organised by the Ministry of Labour, Employment, and Social Security (MoLESS) in Bardibas of Mahottari district on Friday, he said that the government has accorded priority to the safety of Nepali migrant workers. 

Minister Bhandari said, “We have begun efforts to revamp the ‘National Employment Management Information System (NEMI)’ and the seven-year-old ‘Foreign Employment Management Information System (FEMI)’ to better manage domestic employment.”

He noted that both of these technologies, which are nearing implementation, will contribute to the organisation, dignity, and safety of both domestic and foreign employment.

Furthermore, Minister Bhandari announced an increase in the compensation provided by the government to the families of individuals who have lost their lives while working abroad from Rs. 700,000 to Rs. 1 million. 

Additionally, the annual scholarship amount for the children of deceased workers has been raised to Rs. 12,000 and Rs. 18,000 from the previous range of Rs. 8000-12000 per student.

Minister Bhandari also revealed plans to expand the Skill Development Institute established in Bhainsepati, Kathmandu, to promote skill development for employment. 

The initiative includes the establishment of branch offices in all seven provinces, with progress already underway, such as the upcoming branch office in Dhamoura of Mahottari with the grant support of Rs. 130 million from Saudi Arabia.

Moreover, he highlighted the decentralisation of employment-related services, emphasising that all employment-related functions previously concentrated in the federal capital are now accessible through 753 local employment service centers. This move aims to provide easier access to information about job demands from different countries and the associated manpower requirements without the need to visit Kathmandu.

During the programme, Hakhit Sanjal, an organisation working for the rights of the migrant workers, presented a memorandum containing 18 demands to Minister Bhandari. 

These demands include measures to combat widespread fraud in foreign employment, simplified compensation procedures, and the decentralisation of decision-making power from Kathmandu to Madhesh Province.