Stakeholders’ views on ‘PM Employment Programme’ collected

Kathmandu, Sept 3 . Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security, Gokarna Bista, sought views from the stakeholders as part of the effective implementation of the Prime Minister Employment Programme (PMEP). During a stakeholder discussion in the capital city Tuesday, Minister Bista viewed that the government was committed to making the PMEP programme effective by correcting the mistakes seen in the previous year while implementing PMEP.

Last year, the PMEP hugely benefitted the poor, Dalit and women for propping up their financial empowerment. The PMEP is based on the social security, he asserted. “PMEP is brought to provide jobs to the people who are living in absolute poverty and paucity,” he said, adding, “It is government that creates atmosphere for the people to get work for their livelihood. So, PMEP is purely a social security scheme.”

He added that Ministry held discussion with the stakeholders to ensure PMEP’s link to socioeconomic transformation of the poor and destitute.

The meeting was attended by the Ministry representatives, policy makers, experts on employment, economics, high level government officials, and people’s representatives at local levels.

The participants viewed that irrespective of some shortcomings and irregularities, the PMEP has tremendous benefit, so it could be taken as a social justice. At the discussion, former Vice Chairman of the National Planning Commission, Dr Dipendra Bahadur Chhetri, suggested the government to make the poor people the beneficiary of the PMEP.

Member of the National Planning Commission, Dr Ram Kumar Phuyal, pointed out the need of creating jobs to realize the national ambition of ‘prosperous Nepal-happy Nepali’. He asserted that government was planning to link human resources to the labour market.

According to him, the country needs to create some half million jobs and the NPC was studying how jobs could be created at local levels.

On the occasion, General Secretary of Municipalities Association of Nepal and Chief of Dhading Nilkanth municipality, Bhim Prasad Dhungana, however, said there was confusion on the implementation of the PMEP in the beginning because the programme was launched in the late hours of the fiscal year. The budget for this needs to be allocated on time for now, he suggested, adding that the local levels could be made more responsible.

Mayor at Chautara Sagachowkgadhi municipality, Aman Singh Tamang, observed that the PMEP has provided huge benefit to the target community. For the partnership with the PMEP, the municipality has allocated Rs 4 million for this fiscal year, he shared the information. The PMEP would create hope among the people, so it must be continued.

The PMEP had provided jobs to some 200 thousand people last year though it had come into force so late. Some 7460 community programmes were launched to create jobs under PMEP. RSS