Prime Minister Employment Program: Employment Statistics for Fiscal Year 2080-2081
In the fiscal year 2080-81, the Prime Minister Employment Program successfully provided employment to 60,571 unemployed individuals across Nepal, with an average of 80 days of work. Initially, the government had set a target to employ 60,000 people. The total number of registered unemployed individuals in Nepal for this period was 858,154.
Government Funding and Revised Targets
- Budget Allocation: NPR 5.9469 billion was allocated for the program with an aim to employ 86,000 individuals.
- Wage Increase Impact: Due to the increase in the minimum wage from NPR 15,000 to NPR 17,300 effective from Shrawan 1 of the previous year, the Ministry of Labor revised the employment target to 60,000.
Employment Data and Achievements
- Exceeded Targets: Deputy Director and Undersecretary Basanta Bahadur Bohora stated that the program exceeded the employment target based on the available budget. Some local levels are yet to submit their data, indicating that more youths will receive employment this fiscal year than initially targeted.
- Budget Utilization: Over the past five fiscal years, the budget for employment creation programs under the Prime Minister Employment Program was not fully utilized, leading to a reduced budget of nearly NPR 6 billion for the current fiscal year.
Employment Distribution
- Last Fiscal Year: The program registered 535,355 women, 384,709 men, and 90 others, totaling 858,154 unemployed individuals.
- Municipal Employment: Of the 738 municipalities that registered unemployed individuals, around 60,571 received employment within the budget constraints.
Historical Employment Data
- FY 2075-76: Over 172,000 individuals received an average of only 13 days of employment.
- FY 2076-77: 105,626 individuals received an average of 16 days of employment.
- FY 2077-78: 181,091 individuals received an average of 76 days of employment.
- FY 2078-79: 147,433 individuals received an average of 78 days of employment.
- FY 2079-80: 91,685 individuals received an average of 78 days of employment.
- Target: The national target last year was to provide employment to 86,000 individuals.
Program Objectives
- Ensure Employment: The program aims to guarantee employment for all citizens.
- Reduce Poverty: By providing remuneration for work, the program contributes to poverty reduction.
- Social Security: It aims to enhance social security.
- End Forced Foreign Employment: The program strives to gradually reduce the need for forced foreign employment.
Challenges and Observations
- Unmet Targets: According to a recent study by the National Planning Commission, the program has not fully met its targets and objectives.
- Increase in Forced Foreign Employment: Data from the Department of Foreign Employment shows that over 682,000 youths obtained labor permits to work abroad this fiscal year, indicating a rise in forced foreign employment.
Current Implementation
- Active Local Levels: The program is currently being implemented in 727 local levels.
- Pending Implementation: 26 local levels have yet to start the program.
- Previous Years: Last fiscal year, the program operated in 722 municipalities, and in FY 2078-79, it operated in 702 municipalities.
