Labour department bifurcated into two

The government has bifurcated the Labour Department into two different units -- Department of Foreign Employment and Labour Department.
The former Labour Department used to look after all issues related to labourers, domestic and migrants. "In order to look after the increasing migrant labour force and its problems, the government has divided the department into two," said Lekh Raj Bhatta, Minister for Labour and Transport Management, while inaugurating the newly-formed Department of Foreign Employment here today.
Due to lack of job opportunities at home in the wake of the decade-long armed conflict, the younger generation Nepalis are forced to go abroad in search of greener pastures. "Their contribution to the economy cannot be ignored," Bhatta said adding that their contribution to the GDP is at 17.4 per cent.
According to the official record, 1,20,4,937 Nepali migrant workers are in various countries all over the world. The remittance sent by them is keeping the economy afloat. "The remittance should be used in productive sectors," Bhatta suggested adding that at present, the remittance sent by them is invested in land and houses. "These are are unproductive sectors," he opined.
"Manpower agencies should be labelled a respectable profession," the former rebel said and added, "Nepali migrant workers are not getting paid according to standards set by the employer countries due to various reasons. This should be rectified." He added that the government was serious about labour problems -- migrant and back home both -- and the separation of the department showed the government's commitment."The formation of separate departments would make handling the migrant labourers' and domestic labourers' issues easier," said Mohan Krishna Sapkota, director general of the department.
The government received Rs 1,42,680 million remittance - that is 25 per cent of the GNP - in the fiscal year 2007-08, Sapkota said. "In view of the importance of the migrant workforce, the sector new department has been formed according to the Foreign Labour Act 2064," he added.