Kathmandu: The Nepalese government has declared the decade from 2025 to 2035 as the Internal Employment Promotion Decade, aiming to generate more job opportunities within the country. The announcement was made during the inaugural session of the ‘National Labor and Employment Conference-2081’ organized by the Ministry of Labor, Employment, and Social Security.
As part of the initiative, the government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with 10 private sector umbrella organizations to facilitate job creation and skill development for young people.
The signatories include the National Skill Development Foundation, Computer Association Federation (CAN), Hotel Association Nepal (HAN), Federation of Nepal Construction Entrepreneurs, NADA Automobiles Association of Nepal (NADA), Nepal Ready-Made Garment Industry Association, Grill and Steel Entrepreneurs Federation, Nepal Gold and Silver Entrepreneurs Federation, Accor International Trainic Pvt Ltd, Global Qualification, and Motherland Skill Academy.
Additionally, the Ministry of Labor and Employment signed an agreement with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation for the expansion of the Integrated Labor Market Information System under the Prime Minister’s Employment Program.
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, addressing the conference, emphasized the crucial role of the private sector in employment creation, stating that job generation and entrepreneurship promotion remain the government’s top priorities. He called for the private sector to take the lead in driving the country’s economic growth.
Minister for Labor, Employment, and Social Security Sharat Singh Bhandari reaffirmed the government’s commitment to creating domestic employment opportunities while ensuring that foreign employment remains dignified, disciplined, and secure.
Minister for Industry, Commerce, and Supplies Damodar Bhandari highlighted the private sector’s contributions to the national economy, even amid risks. He noted that the government has implemented policy reforms and innovative programs to foster entrepreneurship, employment, and economic growth.
Prime Minister’s Economic and Development Advisor Dr. Yuba Raj Khatiwada outlined the government’s long-term vision to end forced foreign employment by focusing on competitive skill-based manpower, improving social security in bilateral labor agreements, and eliminating the repeated compulsion of Nepalese workers to seek jobs abroad.
Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) President Chandra Prasad Dhakal stressed the urgency of addressing policy ambiguities that hinder private sector investment and employment generation. He urged the government to amend laws and create an investment-friendly environment to boost entrepreneurship.
President of the Joint Trade Union Coordination Centre (JTUCC), Jagat Singhkhada, called for an improved labor environment by raising the minimum wage, ensuring the effective implementation of the social security scheme, and repealing anti-worker provisions of the Labor Act.