People listed as unemployed through PM Employment Scheme to be assigned in post-disaster reconstruction

KATHMANDU, OCTOBER 7: The government has revised its work procedures to facilitate the mobilization of resources and manpower under the Prime Minister Employment Programme for post-disaster reconstruction efforts. The Ministry of Labour, Employment, and Social Security has amended the Community Project Based on Pay for Work (Operation and Management) Procedures, 2077, to enable the employment of individuals listed as unemployed during the reconstruction phase.

Minister for Labour, Employment, and Social Security, Sarat Singh Bhandari, stated that under the amended procedures, citizens registered as unemployed can be engaged in disaster response and reconstruction activities. A new clause has been incorporated into the work procedures allowing the Executive to make immediate decisions for relief and disaster reduction, enabling them to operate employment projects related to repair and reconstruction by mobilizing the listed unemployed individuals during various disasters.

This amendment empowers local authorities to make decisions at the executive level and swiftly initiate repairs to community infrastructure during disasters. Local bodies can also carry out rescue and relief efforts, as well as the reconstruction of small projects, by utilizing resources from the Prime Minister Employment Programme in response to future disasters.

Minister Bhandari urged local authorities to engage those listed as unemployed for infrastructure repairs. He emphasized that local bodies’ executives have the authority to allocate conditional grants received through the Prime Minister Employment Programme for post-disaster infrastructure repair and maintenance.

The government has already declared 41 local levels across 11 districts affected by recent disasters as Disaster-hit Zones for a period of three months.