प्रधानमन्त्री पुष्पकमल दाहालको सत्तारोहणको एक वर्षः नेपालीले के पाए ?

 २०७९ साल पुस ११ गते प्रधानमन्त्री पुष्पकमल दाहाल ‘प्रचण्ड’ले दौरा सुरुवाल लगाएर शपथ ग्रहण गरे । अर्थतन्त्र चाहिँ ‘दौरा न सौरा खल्ती’को अवस्थामा थियो ।

दाहाल सिंहदरबार छिर्दै गर्दा मुलुकको अर्थतन्त्रमा समस्या थिए । अर्थतन्त्रका सूचकहरु आशालाग्दा थिएनन् । अर्थतन्त्रमा शिथिलताको कारण बजारमा उत्साह थिएन । कारोबारको चक्र बिथोलिएका कारण बजारमा उकुसमुकुस थियो । कोभिड-१९ महामारीका कारण सुस्ताएको अर्थतन्त्रमा रुस-युक्रेन युद्धले थप जटिलता ल्याएको थियो, सार्वजनिक वित्त अनि आन्तरिक तथा बाह्य क्षेत्र दुबै चापमा थिए । आम्दानी बढेको थिएन तर महँगीले आकाश छोएको थियो ।

सरकारको दाबी छ : पछिल्लो एक वर्षमा अर्थतन्त्रका केही सूचकमा सुधार आएको छ ।

तर, २०७२ सालपछि लगातार बजेटको आकार बढ्ने अनि खर्च गर्न नसक्ने दीर्घरोगी संयन्त्रमा सुधार नआएका कारण प्रधानमन्त्री दाहालले राजनीतिक जस लिने गरी सुधार भने गरेको देखिन्न । किनकि, धेरै सुधार सरकारको नीतिगत हस्तक्षेपका कारण नभई समयक्रममा आफैँ आएका हुन्, जुन टिकाउ हुन्छ भन्ने पनि छैन ।

सरकारको योगदानबिना सूचकमा आंशिक सुधार, बजारमा बढ्दो निराशा

अघिल्लो आर्थिक वर्षको तुलनामा केही वित्तीय र मौद्रिक क्षेत्र सूचकमा सुधार आएको छ । सरकार गठन भएलगत्तै २०७९ पुस ११ गते बसेको मन्त्रिपरिषद् बैठकले अर्थतन्त्र सुधारका लागि विभिन्न नीतिगत, प्रक्रियागत र संस्थागत सुधारका काम अघि बढाउने गरी निर्णय गरेको थियो ।

सरकारले गर्ने यस्ता कर्मकाण्डी निर्णयले नेपालमा कुनै सकारात्मक प्रभाव पर्न छोडेको धेरै भइसक्यो, बरु उल्टो नकारात्मक असर परेका प्रशस्त उदाहरण छन् ।

तर, यसपटक अलि फरक भयो, सरकारले सुधारका प्रयासका कारण केही आर्थिक सूचक सकारात्मक भएको दाबी गर्दैगर्दा अर्थतन्त्रको बाह्य क्षेत्रमा साँच्चिकै केही सुधार देखिएको छ ।

हुन त बाह्य क्षेत्रमा आएको सुधारको दिगोपनामा प्रशस्त आशंका छ तर पनि रेमिट्यान्स लगातार बढेको तथा आयात घटेका कारण विदेशी मुद्रा सञ्चितिमा सुधार आएको तथ्यांकले देखाउँछ । साथै, पर्यटक आगमनमा पनि उल्लेख्य बढोत्तरी देखिएका कारण केही टिकाउ हुन्छ कि भन्ने आशा गर्न सकिन्छ ।

नेपाल राष्ट्र बैंकका अनुसार २०७९ मंसिर मसान्तसम्ममा कुल विदेशी मुद्रा सञ्चिति १२ खर्ब ९२ अर्ब ५६ करोड रुपैयाँ थियो । विदेशी मुद्रा सञ्चितिबाट १० महिनाको वस्तु आयात र ८.७ महिनाको वस्तु तथा सेवा आयात धान्न सक्ने अवस्था थियो ।

तर, यस वर्षको कात्तिक मसान्तसम्ममा विदेशी मुद्रा सञ्चिति १६ खर्ब ९६ अर्ब रुपैयाँ पुगेको राष्ट्र बैंकले जनाएको छ । चालु आर्थिक वर्षको चार महिनाको आयातलाई आधार मान्दा हाल सञ्चित विदेशी मुद्रा १३.६ महिनाको वस्तु आयात र ११.३ महिनाको वस्तु तथा सेवा आयात धान्न सक्ने देखिन्छ ।

हाल बढेको विदेशी विनिमय सञ्चिति नेपाली उत्पादन निर्यातबाट आएको आम्दानीका कारण भएको भए अर्थतन्त्र बलियो हुँदैछ भन्न सकिन्थ्यो तर त्यसो होइन । नेपाली उत्पादनको निर्यात घट्दो छ ।

आइतबार भन्सार विभागद्वारा प्रकाशित तथ्यांकअनुसार चालु आर्थिक वर्षको मंसिरसम्ममा नेपालले जम्मा ६३ अर्ब २० करोड ७४ लाख रुपैयाँको वस्तु निर्यात गरेको छ । तर, गत आर्थिक वर्षको कात्तिकसम्ममा भने नेपालले ६७ अर्ब ३० करोड ४५ लाख रुपैयाँको वस्तु निर्यात गरेको थियो ।

मुलुकमा व्यावसायिक वातावरण बनाउन सरकार असफल भएक कारण उत्पादन नभएको मात्र होइन, रोजगारी पनि सिर्जना भएन । अनि उत्पादनशील युवा बैदेसिक रोजगारीमा गए । बैदेसिक रोजगारीमा गएका युवाले रेमिट्यान्स पठाएका कारण रेमिट्यान्स आयमा वृद्धि भयो । त्यसैले रेमिट्यान्स बढेको र त्यसैका कारण बाह्य क्षेत्रमा आएको सुधार सरकारको नीतिले होइन, कुनीतिले हो ।

सरकारले रेमिट्यान्स आयको वृद्धिमा र त्यसैका कारण तत्काल अर्थतन्त्रमा परेका सकारात्मक प्रभावलाई आफ्नो ठूलो उपलब्धि मान्नु केटाकेटी पारा हो । अझ तथ्यांकमा नै हेर्ने हो भने त अहिले आइरहेको रेमिट्यान्सभन्दा धेरै आउनुपर्ने हो, यसमा पनि सरकार चुकेको छ । सरकारकै अव्यवस्थाका कारण हुन्डी बढेको छ । देशबाट पुँजी पलायन भइरहेको छ ।

राष्ट्र बैंकका अनुसार चालु आर्थिक वर्षको कात्तिकसम्ममा ४ खर्ब ७७ अर्ब ९६ करोड रुपैयाँ रेमिट्यान्स नेपाल भित्रिएको छ । जुन प्रतिमहिना औसतमा सवा खर्ब रुपैयाँको हाराहारी हो । आफ्ना मानव संशाधन बेचेर विश्वमा कुनै पनि मुलुक धनी भएको छैन, नेपाल पनि हुँदैन । आफ्ना युवालाई रोजगारी दिन नसक्ने राज्यले राष्ट्रियता पनि जोगाउन सक्दैन ।

तेस्रो पटक प्रधानमन्त्री भएको एक वर्षमा पनि दाहालले स्वदेशमा रोजगारी सिर्जना गर्न केही प्रयास गरेको देखिन्न । दाहालमात्र नभएर, नेपाली राजनीतिक दल तथा तिनका शीर्षस्थ नेतामा नेपालमा रोजगारी सिर्जना गर्न कुनै हुटहुटी छैन । जसका कारण युवामा चरम निराशा छ र उनीहरु धमाधम विदेश जाँदै छन् । खराब नेतृत्वका कारण संघीय गणतन्त्र बदनाम भइरहेको छ ।

एक वर्ष पुगेको अवसरमा प्रधानमन्त्रीले सिंहदरबारभित्रै एउटा सर्भे पो गर्ने हो कि, कति जना वहालवाला तथा पूर्व उच्च कर्मचारीका सन्तान नेपालमा छन् ? कसैको व्यक्तिगत स्वतन्त्रतामा प्रतिबन्ध त लाउन सकिन्न तर यसबाट प्रधानमन्त्रीलाई कस्ता नीतिनिर्माताबाट सरकार चलाइरहेको छु भन्ने थाहा लाग्न सक्छ ।

नेपालमा रेमिट्यान्स पठाउने युवाको वर्ग नै फरक छ । जुन वर्गको उत्थानका लागि प्रचण्डले नेपाललाई एक दशक लामो द्वन्द्वमा होमे, त्यही वर्ग नेपालमा गरिखान नपाएर वैदेशिक रोजगारीमा गएका कारण प्रतिमहिना सवा खर्ब रेमिट्यान्स नेपाल भित्रिएको हो । अनि अर्थतन्त्रका सूचकमा सुधार आएको हो, सरकारको नीतिका कारणले होइन, हुँदै होइन । किनकि सरकारको नीतिका कारण कुन वर्गको उत्थान भइरहेको छ, जगजाहेर नै छ ।

हाल चालु खाता अनि शोधनान्तर स्थिति पनि बचतमा देखिएका छन् । राष्ट्र बैंककै तथ्यांकअनुसार कात्तिक मसान्तसम्ममा चालु खाता ९६ अर्ब ३८ करोड रुपैयाँले बचतमा छ । जुन चालु खाता २०७९ मंसिर मसान्तसम्ममा ३७ अर्ब ९१ करोड रुपैयाँले घाटामा थियो । साथै, चालु आवको पहिलो चौमासिकसम्ममा शोधनान्तर स्थिति १ खर्ब ४७ अर्ब ११ करोड रुपैयाँले बचतमा छ ।

यी तथ्यांक देखाएर जस लिनुभन्दा सरकारले वैदेशिक रोजगारीमा गएका युवालाई धन्यवाद भन्नु पर्ने हुन्छ ।

किनकि वैदेशिक रोजगारीमा जाने ती ८० प्रतिशत युवा ऋण काडेर विदेशिने गरेको प्रवासी नेपाल समन्वय समिति र सेन्टर फर द स्टडी अफ लेबर एन्ड मोबिलिटी, सोसल साइन्सले गरेको ‘रिटर्न, विक रिइन्टिग्रेसन र रिमाइग्रेसन’ शीर्षकमा कामदारहरूको अवस्थाबारे गरेको अध्ययन प्रतिवेदनले जनाउँछ ।

‘ऋण लिएकामध्ये लगभग ५० प्रतिशतले ऋण तिर्न बाँकी रहेको देखिन्छ,’ प्रतिवेदन भन्छ । अझ वैदेशिक रोजगारीबाट फर्केर आएका आप्रवासी श्रमिकहरु बचत नभएका कारण थप आर्थिक जोखिममा रहेको पनि अध्ययनले देखाएको छ ।

सरकारले किन र कसरी जस लिन मिल्छ, जब उनीहरुमध्ये ८८ प्रतिशतले विदेशबाट कमाएको पैसाबाटै ऋण फिर्ता गर्ने गरेको पनि प्रतिवेदनमा उल्लेख छ । रेमिट्यान्स पठाएर देशको अर्थतन्त्र चलाइदिने उनीहरुको लागि यो सरकार होइन । जुन दिन रोजगारदाता देशमा समस्या आउँछ, त्यसै दिन उनीहरु फर्कन बाध्य हुन्छन् ।

सरकारले केही गर्न सक्दैन, प्रधानमन्त्री दाहालले पनि केही गर्न सक्दैनन् । रुस पुगेर मृत्युवरण गर्न बाध्य नेपाली युवाका लागि यो सरकार होइन, यो देश पनि आफ्नो होइन । एक वर्षमात्र होइन, अर्को १० वर्ष शासन गरे पनि सरकार नेपाली युवाका लागि होइन भन्ने भाष्य सरकारले नै बनाएको हो ।

तेस्रोपल्ट प्रधानमन्त्री बन्दै गर्दा दाहाललाई चेत आएको हुनुपर्थ्यो कसको लागि प्रधानमन्त्री बन्दैछु भनेर तर यस्तो देखिएन ।

एक वर्षमा पर्यटक आगमनमा राम्रो सुधार देखिएको छ । सन् २०२३ को ११ महिनामा करिब ९ लाख ५४ हजार पर्यटक नेपाल आएका छन् । पर्यटक आय तथा पर्यटकको बसाइ लम्बाउन नसके पनि पछिल्लो वर्षमा बढेको पर्यटक आगमनले केही रोजगारी भने सिर्जना भएको छ । त्यो पनि कुन दिन फेरि घट्न बेर छैन । किनकि नेपालमा आउने पर्यटक नेपालको योजना तथा लगानीका कारण आएका होइनन्, उनीहरुकै योजनामा आएका हुन् ।

गएको एक वर्षमा तथ्यांकमा गज्जब सुधार भएको तर बजारमा अनुभव नगरिएको एउटा क्षेत्र भने महँगी हो ।

राष्ट्र बैंकको तथ्यांकअनुसार गत वर्षको तुलनामा मूल्यवृद्धि घटेको छ । २०७९ मंसिर समान्तसम्ममा उपभोक्ता मूल्य सूचकांकमा आधारित मुद्रास्फीति ७.३८ प्रतिशत थियो । तर चालु आर्थिक वर्षको कात्तिक मसान्तसम्ममा मुद्रास्फीति ५.३८ प्रतिशत छ ।

तर, बजार भाउ भने बढेको बढ्यै, बढेको बढ्यै छ ।

यसको अर्थ बजार भाउको वृद्धिदरमात्र घटेको हो, बजार भाउ सस्तो भएको होइन । प्रधानमन्त्री दाहालमात्र नभएर अधिकांश राजनीतिक दलका नेता तथा उच्चपदस्थ कर्मचारी आफैं बजारमा किनमेल गर्न गएको कतै देखिन्न, सुनिन्न, त्यसैले थाहा हुने कुरा पनि भएन । नागरिकका पीडा सुनिदिनेभन्दा पनि कतिपटक प्रधानमन्त्री हुने भन्ने कीर्तिमान राख्ने लहड भएपछि नारायणहिटी र सिंहदरबारमा कुनै फरक नहुनु स्वाभाविक हो ।

तर, फरक छः तेस्रो पल्ट शपथ ग्रहण गर्दा प्रचण्डले दौरा सुरुवाल लगाए । एक वर्षदेखि उनी सार्वजनिक समारोहमा दौरा सुरुवालमै देखिन्छन् ।

आजकल प्रधानमन्त्री दाहाल अर्को एक धक्का दिने मुडमा छन् ।

शुक्रबार र आइतबार एउटा धक्का त दिइसके । प्रधानमन्त्रीले बिहीबार बक्यौता रकम नतिर्ने उद्योगको लाइन काट्न निर्देशन दिएलगत्तै शुक्रबार नेपाल विद्युत प्राधिकरणले जगदम्बा स्टिल्स, रिलायन्स स्पिनिङ मिल्स, घोराही सिमेन्ट र अर्घाखाँची सिमेन्टको बिजुली काट्यो । आइतबार थप ५ उद्योगको लाइन काटेको छ ।

प्रधानमन्त्रीले एक वर्षमा कर्मचारीतन्त्रलाई सयौं निर्देशन दिए होलान् । सयकडा एक यस्ता निर्देशन कार्यान्वयन पनि भए होलान्। तर, उद्योग नै धराशयी बनाउने निर्देशन एकैदिनमा कार्यान्वयनमा आयो, राज्य पूरै ब्ल्याकमेलरका रुपमा प्रस्तुत भयो।

स्वदेशी लगानीकर्तालाई ब्ल्याकमेल गरेको देखेपछि विदेशी लगानीकर्ता पक्कै नेपाल आउन चाहने छैनन् । तर, सरकार आउँदो वैशाख ९ र १० गते काठमाडौँमा अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय लगानी सम्मेलनको तयारी गर्दैछ ।

नेपालमा लगानीको वातावरण कठिन हुँदैछ भनेर मलेसियन लगानीकर्ता आजियटा फर्कन चाहेको भर्खरै हो । नेपाल सरकारको दोहनकारी नीतिले लगानीकर्तामा चरम निराशा छ । बितेको एक वर्षमा लगानीको वातावरण बिथोल्न प्रधानमन्त्री दाहालको सरकार र सरकारी संयन्त्रले भयंकर मेहनत गरेको छ ।

नेपालका उद्योग बन्द गरेर बेरोजगार बढाउने अनि खाडि पठाएर रेमिटयान्स भित्र्याउने । युवाले पठाएको रेमिटयान्सले सरकारले तलब खाने र राजनीतिक दलका कार्यकर्ता पाल्ने । योभन्दा खास्सा आर्थिक क्रान्ती के हुन्छ ?

यो नै दाहाल सरकारको प्रमुख उपलब्धि हो ।

एक दशकको द्वन्द्वले नेपाल आर्थिक विकासमा ५० वर्ष पछाडि पर्‍यो, अब एक वर्षको उपलब्धिले झन् राणाकालमा नै पुर्‍याउने हो । यस्तै विषम परिस्थितिमा नै १०४ वर्षे एकतन्त्रीय जहानियाँ राणाकाल सुरु भएको हुनपर्छ ।

सायद प्रधानमन्त्रीले भनेको अन्तिम धक्का यही होला, देश बनाउने ।

राज्य नै दोहनकारी भएपछि कसरी मुलुकमा औद्योगिक वातावरण बन्छ, उद्यमशीलताको प्रवर्धन हुन्छ अनि रोजगारी सिर्जना हुन्छ, यति बुझ्न जंगल जानु पर्दैन । यो कमन सेन्स हो ।

तर, अंग्रेजीमा भनिन्छ नि कमन सेन्स इज भेरी अनकमन । नेपालमा राजनीतिक दल तथा तिनका नेतृत्वमा कमन सेन्स भएको भए नेपाली युवा रुसको फौजमा वा खाडी अनि मलेसिया जानु पर्दैनथ्यो । पूर्णरुपमा रेमिट्यान्समा आधारित सुधारिएको सूचक देखाएर फुइँ लाउने सरकारसँग नेपाल विकासको कुनै दृष्टिकोण, कुनै योजना छैन भन्ने एक वर्षले सिद्ध गरिसकेको छ ।

बितेका एक वर्षमा कतिवटा उद्योग खुले, कति रोजगारी सिर्जना भयो, नेपालीको आय कति बढ्यो, कति नेपालीले छाना र नाना पाए, त्यसको तथ्यांक हेरौं न ।

अनि जाजरकोटमा चिसोले कति जनाको ज्यान गयो, त्यो पनि एउटा सूचक होला नि होइन र ? २१औं शताब्दीमा जाडो र चिसोले नागरिक मर्ने देशको सूचकमा सुधारको के अर्थ ?

बढ्दो ऋण तिर्न पनि ऋण

पछिल्ला वर्षहरुमा सबैभन्दा बढी चर्चामा आएको विषय हो, सार्वजनिक ऋण । आजको मितिमा सरकारले ऋण तिर्न पनि ऋण नै लिनुपर्ने बाध्यता सिर्जना भएको छ । हुन त यसमा प्रधानमन्त्री दाहालको धेरै दोष छैन । तर, उनले पनि बितेका एक वर्षमा सार्वजनिक ऋण थपे । किनकि राजश्वले सरकारी खर्च धान्न छोडिसक्यो । सरकारको एक वर्षको उपलब्धिमा यसको पनि त मूल्यांकन होला नी ।

सार्वजनिक ऋण व्यवस्थापन कार्यालयका अनुसार गत असार मसान्तसम्ममा २२ खर्ब ९९ अर्ब ३५ करोड २४ लाख रुपैयाँ बराबर रहेको सार्वजनिक ऋण कात्तिक मसान्तसम्म पुग्दा २३ खर्ब ५७ अर्ब ६ करोड रुपैयाँ नाघेको छ । त्यसैले सरकारले पुँजीगत खर्चभन्दा ऋण तिर्न बढी खर्च गर्ने बाध्यता आइसकेको छ ।

यतिमात्रै होइन, विगत एक वर्षको उपलब्धि ।

महालेखा नियन्त्रक कार्यालयको तथ्यांकअनुसार २०८० मंसिर मसान्तसम्ममा सरकारको आम्दानीभन्दा खर्च बढी छ ।

मंसिर मसान्तसम्ममा सरकारले ४ खर्ब ५२ अर्ब ९९ करोड ५७ लाख रुपैयाँ बजेट खर्च गरेको छ तर आम्दानी भने खर्चभन्दा ६९ अर्ब ७ करोड १५ लाख रुपैयाँ कम छ । सरकारले चालु आवका लागि १७ खर्ब ५१ अर्ब ३१ करोड २१ लाख रुपैयाँको बजेट ल्याएको थियो भने कुल १४ खर्ब ७२ अर्ब ४८ करोड ४७ लाख रुपैयाँबराबर राजस्व उठाउने लक्ष्य थियो ।

महाँकालदेखि मानसरोवरसम्मः आर्थिक कूटनीतिमाथि धार्मिक कूटनीति हावी

कुनै समय चीनका नेता माओत्सेतुंगको नाम तथा दर्शनबाट प्रभावित तथा प्रगतिशील राजनीतिको प्रचण्डपथ नै कोरेको दाबी गर्ने नेकपा माओवादी केन्द्रका अध्यक्ष प्रचण्डले प्रधानमन्त्री भएपछि पहिलो विदेश भ्रमण भारतबाटै गर्ने रहर गत वर्ष पूरा गरे।धेरैले उनलाई दक्षिणतिर ढल्किएको पनि भने। तर, उत्तरबाट दक्षिणतिरको यो ३६० डिग्रीको फन्को रातारात होइन, थिएन ।

नेपालको सत्ताको सिँढी नै दक्षिणतिर छ त उनको के दोष !

उनको तेस्रो पटकको सत्तारोहणबाट नेपाली नागरिकले के पाए, त्यो भिन्नै कुरा भो । तेस्रो पटक प्रधानमन्त्री हुँदा पनि उनीसँग देश र जनतालाई दिनेभन्दा लिने नै कुरा बढी होलान् । यो भाष्य गलत होस् भन्ने कामना त गर्न सकिन्छ तर यथार्थ यथार्थ नै हुन्छ।

नेपालको आर्थिक विकासको एउटा प्रमुख साझेदार हो भारत । नेपालको वैदेशिक व्यापारमा भारतको हिस्सा ठूलोमात्र होइन, अर्थतन्त्रलाई तत्काल नकारात्मक वा सकारात्मक प्रभाव पार्न सक्ने छिमेकी पनि हो ।

त्यसैले हरेकपल्ट नेपालका प्रधानमन्त्रीको भारत भ्रमणबाट नेपालीले ठूलै उपलब्धि हासिल गर्ने आशा राख्छन् । यसपटक आफुलाई सुध्रिसकेको दाबी गरेका प्रधानमन्त्री दाहालसँग पनि नेपालीको ठूलै आशा थियो । तर, दिल्लीको औपचारिक मेजमानी खाएपछि २०८० जेठ १९ गते उज्जैन पुगेर उनी महाँकालेश्वरमा गेरुवा खास्टोमा आरती गर्दै गरेका देखिए ।

नेपाल र भारतबीचको द्विदेशीय व्यापार अभिवृद्धि गर्नेलगायतका थुप्रै विषयभन्दा उनका लागि उज्जैनको महाँकालेश्वरमा आरती महत्वपूर्ण भयो । दुई छिमेकी देशबीच आर्थिक कूटनीतिभन्दा धार्मिक कूटनीतिमा रुची लिनु प्रचण्डको बाध्यता हुनसक्छ।

नेपाल र भारतलाई आज आर्थिक विकासमा जोड्न सकेमात्र दुबै मुलुकको फाइदा छ । तर, त्यसो गर्दा दाहाललाई के फाइदा ?

भारतको औपचारिक भ्रमणबाट व्यापार, पारवहन, लगानी प्रवर्धन, ऊर्जा व्यापार तथा क्रस बोर्डर ट्रान्समिसन लाइन, सिँचाइ, बाढी तथा डुबान नियन्त्रण, कृषिलगायतका क्षेत्रमा केही सहमति भएका थिए । तर, उनको गेरुवा खास्टोले ती केही भएका उपलब्धि पनि छोपिए ।

यसरी माओको दर्शन र प्रगतिशील राजनीति एकाएक धार्मिक राजनीतिमा क्रान्तिकारी छलाङ मार्न पुग्यो ।

किनकि उनको धार्मिक कूटनीति दक्षिणको छिमेकीमा मात्र सीमित रहेन । अमेरिकाबाट सोझै २०८० असोज ६ गते चीन उत्रिएका प्रधानमन्त्री दाहाल भोलिपल्ट औपचारिक कार्यक्रम सकेपछि नेपाल फर्कन सक्थे तर एक साता घुमफिर गरेर मानसरोवर यात्रा गर्न भ्याए ।

अस्थिरताका पर्याय मानिएका प्रचण्ड छिमेकी मुलुकसँगको आर्थिक कूटनीति बलियो बनाउन छाडेर धार्मिक कूटनीतिमा ओर्लिए । जसकारण प्रधानमन्त्रीको भ्रमणमा नेपालले भारतबाट तथा चीनबाट लिन सक्ने जति आर्थिक फाइदा लिन सकेन।

त्यसैले बितेको एक वर्षमा नेपालीले देखेको ‘परिवर्तन’ भनेको झल्याकझुलुक गेरुवा खास्टोबाहेक प्रधानमन्त्रीको दौरा सुरुवाल मात्रै हो ।

Six Nepalis die fighting for Russian Army in Ukraine, one captive

The Foreign Ministry today officially confirmed the deaths of six Nepalis, while serving for the Russian Army that is currently fighting a war after invading Ukraine in February 2022.

Issuing a press note, the ministry clarified that these deaths were confirmed despite Nepal banning to join its nationals in foreign armies, except for those recruited into the national armies of friendly countries under traditional agreements. Nepalis traditionally join the armies of India and the UK.

The ministry had issued a press note also on August 1 stressing not to provide permission for recruitment in any foreign army apart from those in a few countries as per traditional agreements.

The ministry has also confirmed a Nepali, who has been fighting for Russia, has been captive in Ukrain.

The Nepalis, who lost their lives in Ukraine are identified as Sandeep Thapalia of Gorkha, Rupak Kari of Kapilvastu, Dewan Rai of Kaski, Pritam Karki of Syangja, Raj Kumar Roka of Ilam, and Ganga Raj Moktan of Ilam. 

The ministry has also formally requested the Russian government to expedite the repatriation of the deceased Nepalis' bodies and provide compensation to their grieving families.

The ministry has also requested the Russian government to refrain from recruiting Nepalis into the Russian army.

Likewise, the government has also requested Russia to repatriate any Nepalis, who may have recently joined the Russian army. "Diplomatic efforts are underway to secure the return of Bibek Khatri, a Nepali citizen currently held captive in Ukraine after joining the Russian army," the press note reads, confirming the report that one Nepali is in the captivity of Ukraine.

There are unofficial reports that many Nepalis are being lured to joint the Russian Army, the press note added appealing Nepali citizens, excluding those engaged in government work, recipients of Russian government scholarships, and professionals in business, to travel to Russia only through the Consular Service Department under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tripureshwar.

Likewise, the ministry has urged the Nepalis to refrain from joining the armies of war-torn countries, based on false information or the temptation of monetary gains. "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs requests all concerned not to join the army of war-torn countries on the basis of false information or temptation," it added.

According to the ministry, the deceased are:

Sandeep Thapaliya (Gorkha)

Rupak Karki (Banganga-1, Kapilvastu)

Duban Rai (Kaski)

Pitam Karki (Putali Bazaar-5, Syangja)

Raj Kumar Roka (Melung-6, Dolakha)

Ganga Raj Moktan (Ilam-5, Ilam)

Nepal, Germany sign labour agreement

Nepal and Germany today signed a joint declaration of intent (DoI) on Skilled Labour Migration and Knowledge Exchange.

During the signing ceremony at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of Germany, minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security Sharat Singh Bhandari and State Secretary (Deputy Minister) of Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of Germany Leonie Gebers were present, according to a press note issued by the Embassy of Nepal in Berlin, Germany.

Nepal's ambassador to Gremany Ram Kaji Khadka and director at the lnternational Affairs, German Federal Employment Agency Michael van der Cammen signed the JDol, on behalf of their respective governments in the presence of Nepal's visiting delegation led by the minister Bhandari.

The signing of the JDol was preceded by a bilateral meeting between the high-level Nepali delegation led by minister Bhandari and the high-level German delegation led by State Secretary (Deputy Minister).

On the occasion, the leaders of two delegations shared views, primarily, on the agenda of Nepal-Germany bilateral relations, skilled labour migration, Nepal's commitment to legal migration, workers' welfare and social security, German language and vocational training, and circular migration.

During the meeting, the two leaders expressed happiness over the growing relations between the two countries in recent years and stated that the signing of the JDol would be the first step in the roadmap towards fair and legal labour migration from Nepal to Germany. 

Bhandari, on the occasion, also expressed Nepal's willingness to collaborate with the friendly Government of Germany in all sectors of mutual benefits.

Likewise, Gebers also stated that the signing of the JDol would open the way forward for institutional arrangement in immigrating Nepali skilled workers as per the need of the German job market. She also highlighted the positive sides of the recent German Skilled lmmigration Act which has eased the process of recruiting foreign skilled workers in Germany.

The Nepali delegation being led by the minister included secretary at the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security Kewal Prasad Bhandari, ambassador of Nepal to Germany Ram Kaji Khadka, and other officials from the Labour Ministry, Foreign Ministry and Embassy of Nepal in Berlin.

The German delegation led by Gebers included the high-level officials from the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Federal Employment Agency and other relevant Departments of Germany.

Likewise, the Nepali delegation yesterday held discussions with the delegation of lnternational Labour Organisation (lLO) Berlin Bureau led by Dr Annette Niederfranke, Director at the Embassy of Nepal in Berlin.

During the meeting, various labour related issues including welfare of workers, measures against the exploitation and trafficking of workers, inclusive foreign employment and reintegration of migrant workers in the county of origin were discussed. ln the afternoon, the Nepali delegation participated in an interaction programme with the Nepali diaspora living in Germany organised by the Embassy.

The Nepali delegation is holding a meeting with the representatives of private sectors of Germany on Wednesday (tomorrow), and the visiting delegation is scheduled to leave Germany for Nepal on Thursday.

‘बालेन’बाट गणतन्त्रलाई खतरा !

स्पष्टिकरणः यो लेख बालेनको समर्थनमा होइन । सर्भिस डेलिभरी गर्न नसक्ने तर लोकतन्त्रको ठेक्का लिने ठेकेदारहरुको समर्थनमा त झन् हुँदै होइन । अनि प्रश्न यो पनि होइन कि काठमाडौं महानगरका मेयर बालेन ठिक हुन् कि बेठिक । साथै, मौखिक वा अन्य कुनै पनि प्रकारका हिंसाको पनि यो लेखले समर्थन गर्दैन ।

सत्ता टिकाउन सर्वोच्च अदालतले सजाय किटिसकेको अपराधीलाई कानून नै बनाएर छुटाउने सरकारसँग बालेनलाई प्रश्न सोध्ने आँट त छैन नै । तर, प्रश्न के पनि होइन भने सरकार चोर हो कि होइन ?

सरकार चोर होइन । वैधानिक डाँका हो । राजनीतिशास्त्रको परिभाषाले त्यहि भन्छ । सरकारले कानून बनाएर नागरिकलाई लुट्छ भन्ने कुरा राजनीतिशास्त्रमा पढेकै हो, विश्वभर प्रचलित मान्यता पनि हो ।

त्यसैले प्रश्न के हो भने नेपाल भन्ने मुलुकका तथाकथित वुद्धिजीबि भनाउँदाहरु अबको १० वर्षमा नेपाललाई कहाँ पुगेको देख्न चाहन्छन् ?

अनि प्रश्न यो पनि हो कि १० वर्षे आन्तरिक द्धन्द्धका नायक प्रचण्डदेखि नडराएको लोकतन्त्र एउटा बालेनसँग किन डराउँछ ? महरापुत्र, पोखरेलपुत्र, पुनपुत्र लगायत यावत् क्रान्तीकारी पुत्रहरुसँग लोतन्त्रलाई खतरा छैन । तर, बालेनसँग किन लोकतन्त्रलाई खतरा छ ? के बालेनजस्त युवा विदेसिनु नै लोकतन्त्र जोगाउने एकमात्र उपाय हो ? बालेनहरुले नेपालमा राजनीति, उद्यम ब्यवासाय, पेशा गरेर आफनो जीवन बाँच्न नपाउने नै हो, त्यसो गरे लोकतन्त्र वास्तवमा नै खतरामा नै पर्ने हो त ?

तपाईंहरुले खाडीमा गएका युवा बाकसमा घर फर्कँदा उसको बाबुको अनुहार देख्नु भएको छ । उसका बच्चाबच्चीको अनुहार देख्नु भएको छ । बाँचुन्जेल त उसले रेमिट्यान्स पठायो, परिवार पाल्यो । तर, मरेपछि उसको परिवारको अवस्था के छ, कसैले गएर हेर्नु भएको छ ।

२०६२/६३ सम्मका प्रचण्ड आज लोकतन्त्रवादीकै भाषामा चरम पुँजीवादको पनि निकृष्ट मानिएको आसेपासे पुँजीवादको जालोमा एकपछि अर्को गर्दै फस्दै गए । त्यसैले लोकतन्त्रवादीहरू फुलेल छन्, कुम जोडेर बसेका छन्, अझ बेला-बेलामा बचाऊ पनि गर्छन् । आजको दिनसम्म आइपुग्दा लोकतन्त्रवादीले प्रचण्डबाट डराउन पर्दैन । किनकि, प्रचण्ड र लोकतन्त्रवादी अब ‘पार्टनर इन क्राइम’ हुन् ।

चुनाव जित्न पैसा चाहिन्छ र पैसा नहुँदा पार्टी पनि जोगिन्न भन्ने प्रचण्ड लाइन सर्बेसर्बा हुन एक दशकमात्र लाग्यो । भलै त्यो सिक्न एमालेलाई दुई दशक लागेको थियो । प्रचण्डले एक दशकमै अग्रगामी फड्को मारेर, कांग्रेस र एमाललेको हाराहारीमा आफनो दललाई पुर्याए । त्यसैले लोकतन्त्रवादी प्रचण्डको अग्रगमनसँग डराउँदैन । तर, एउटा बालेनसँग डराउँछ ।

२०४५ सालअघि दाँया हातका मुठ्ठिभरको मुलुक थियो । २०४६ पछि बाँया हाते मुठ्ठिभरका लागि त स्वर्गै हो, नेपाल। त्यसैले एउटा बालेन लोकतन्त्रका लागि खतरा भयो ।

हाम्रो पुस्ता गगन थापा, यागेश भट्टराई अनि रामकुमारी झाँक्रीलगायतले बालेको टायरको धुँवा खाएर हुर्किएको हो । आजको दिनमा बालेनलाई चोर औंला देखाउँदै गर्दा के भुल्नु हुन्न भने गगन, योगेश र रामकुमारीले पनि चोर सरकार भनेरै रत्नपार्कदेखि बागबजारसम्मका पर्खाल भत्काएका हुन् । रेलिङ भाँचेकै हुन् । माओवादीको त के कुरा, ५००० जना मारेको जिम्मा प्रचण्डले खुलेआम लिएकै छन् ।

त्यसैले बालेन ठिक भनेर बचाऊ गर्न खोजेको होइन, गर्नै पर्दैन । गगन, योगेश र रामकुमारीहरुले दुई दशकमा जे राजनीति गरे वा जसरी राजनीति गर्न सिके बालेन त्यो बाटोमा भर्खर पाइला सार्दैछन् मात्र भन्न खोजेको हो । हिँजो गगनले जे गर्थे आज बालेनले गरिरहेका छन्, हिँजो गगनले जे गर्थे आज सुमनाहरुले गरिरहेका छन्, हिँजो गगनले जे गरे आज स्वर्णिम वाग्लेहरुले गरिरहेका छन् ।

त्यसोभए किन उनीहरुबाट लोकतन्त्रलाई खतरा भयो त ?

हिँजो तत्कालीन सत्ताको विरोधमा नागरिकलाई सचेत बनाउन त्यो आन्दोलन आवश्यक थियो भने आज पनि सत्ताकै विरोधमा नागरिकलाई ब्यूँझाउनु पर्ने अवस्था छैन भन्ने ग्यारेन्टी गर्न सक्ने महापुरुषले एकपटक छातीमा हात राखेर, वीपी, मदन वा आफ्ना आदर्श कसलाई मान्नुहुन्छ सम्झनुहोस्, उत्तर तयार छ ।

अझ, तर्कै गर्ने हो भने, बालेनको ठाउँमा नेपाली कांग्रेस वा नेकपा एमाले वा समाजवादी वा माओवादीको नेताले सिंहदरबारमा आगो लगाउने कुरा गरेका भए के हुन्थ्यो ? वाहवाही हुन्थ्यो, टिकटकमा हजारौं लाइक अनि कमेन्ट हुन्थे । क्रान्तीकारी मानिन्थ्यो। अझ रमाइलो त प्रधानमन्त्री प्रचण्ड आफैं विप्लवको काँधमा बन्दुक राखेर त्यहि गर्दैछन् । प्रधानमन्त्री प्रचण्ड किन पनि भने पुष्पकमल हुनै सकेनन् उनी ।

त्यसैले नेपाललाई अन्तर्राष्ट्रियस्तरमै मानव तस्कर तथा सुन तस्करको स्वर्गको रुपमा स्थापित गराउन दिनरात मिहेनत गर्ने उत्तराधिकारीहरुबाट पनि लोकतन्त्रलाई खतरा छैन । तर, एउटा बालेनबाट लोकतन्त्रमा खतरा छ ।

तपाईंले मुलुक कति बनाउनु भो, कति आफू बन्नु भो ? आफ्नालाई कति बनाउनु भो ? लेखाजोखा गर्नु पर्छ, गर्नै बाँकी छ, अब ढिलो गर्नुहुन्न । तर, त्यसको हिसाब गर्न एउटा होइन ५० वटा बालेन चाहिन्छ ।

लोकतन्त्रका नाममा शिक्षा ध्वस्त बनाउँदा हामी चुप छौं । स्वास्थ्य ध्वस्त बनाउँदा हामी चुप छौं । अर्थतन्त्र ध्वस्त बनाउँदा अनि राज्यका संयन्त्रलाई कठपुतली बनाउँदा पनि हामी चुप छौं । लोकतन्त्रको सुन्दरता हेर्न नेपाल जाउँ भन्ने ‘स्लोगन’ राखेर एकपटक फेरि नेपाल भ्रमण वर्ष पो मनाउने हो कि भन्ने पनि लाग्दो हो, सत्ताको चास्नीमा रमाउन पाएकालाई ।

आज १२ पास गरेका हाम्रा छोराछोरीहरु आफ्ना बा-आमाको काखमा आफ्नो भविष्य नदेखेर ह्वारह्वार्ती विदेसिँदै छन्, त्यसले पनि लोतन्त्रको भविष्य खतरामा पर्दैन । किनकि, नेताका उत्तराधिकारीहरु त छँदै छन् नि सुनौलो नेपाल बनाउन ।

सत्ता निकटका परिवारका, उनका आसोपासे अनि कार्यकर्ताको अनुहार अनि जीवनशैली हेर्नु भएको छ ? कस्तो चम्किलो छ, मानौं बलिउडमा नायक-नायिका हुन् । करोडौंका गाडी छन्, शान सौकत छ, आन्दोलनको लाभांश पाएकै छन् । तिनबाट झन् लोकतन्त्रलाई खतरा हुने कुरै भएन ।

तर, यहि मुलुकमा छाक टार्न अनि आफनो बालबच्चालाई पाल्न असमर्थ भएर बाध्यतावश युवाहरु खाडीको ५० डिग्रीमा मुटु फुटाउन गएका कारण ती अनुहार चम्किलो भएका हुन् । खाडीमा गएका युवाले रेमिट्यान्स पठाइदिन्छन्, सरकारलाई गाडीमा डिजेल हाल्न मिहेनत गर्नु परेको छैन । आसोपासेलाई भत्ता बाँड्न पनि पुग्छ । आसेपासे र कार्यकर्तालाई सर-सपट गर्न पनि पुग्छ अनि आउन्न त अनुहारमा चमक । उनीहरुको अनुहारमा चमक आएपछि लोकतन्त्रको भविष्य त्यसै सुरक्षित हुन्छ।

विदेशी भूमिमा हाड घोटेर नेपाली युवाले हरेक महिना १ खर्ब रेमिट्यान्स पठाउन थालेका कारण पछिल्ला महिनाहरुमा अर्थतन्त्रमा केहि सहजता देखिएको छ । बढ्दो रेमिट्यान्सका कारण बाह्य अर्थतन्त्रमा क्रमिक सुधार देखिए पनि आन्तरिक अर्थतन्त्रलाई चलायमान हुन सकेको छैन । निर्माण व्यवसायीले काम गरेको पैसा नपाएर आन्दोलित छन् । तर, लोकतन्त्र सुरक्षित छ।

तपाईंहरुले खाडीमा गएका युवा बाकसमा घर फर्कँदा उसको बाबुको अनुहार देख्नु भएको छ । उसका बच्चाबच्चीको अनुहार देख्नु भएको छ । बाँचुन्जेल त उसले रेमिट्यान्स पठायो, परिवार पाल्यो । तर, मरेपछि उसको परिवारको अवस्था के छ, कसैले गएर हेर्नु भएको छ ।

फेरि पनि भ्रममा नपर्नुहोस्, ऊ मुलुक बनाउन खाडी गएको होइन । आफ्नो र आफ्नो परिवारको पेट पाल्न खाडी गएको हो । तर, तपाईंले त मुलुक बनाउने ठेक्का लिन्छु भनेर आन्दोलन भन्दै हजारौं नागरिकको अकाल मृत्यूको कारण बनेको आन्तरिक द्धन्द्ध हुँदै चुनाव जितेर आउनु भएको हो नि । कति चाँडै विर्सेको हजुर, ख्वामित ।

तपाईंले मुलुक कति बनाउनु भो, कति आफू बन्नु भो ? आफ्नालाई कति बनाउनु भो ? लेखाजोखा गर्नु पर्छ, गर्नै बाँकी छ, अब ढिलो गर्नुहुन्न । तर, त्यसको हिसाब गर्न एउटा होइन ५० वटा बालेन चाहिन्छ ।

याद राख्नुहोस्, अबको १० वर्षपछि नेपालमा ५०-५५ कटेका वा १२ कक्षा पढ्नेभन्दा कम उमेरका नागरिकमात्र हुनेछन् । त्यतिबेला तपाईंको लोकतन्त्र कसले बचाइदिन्छ ? दन्त्यकथामा झैं कुनै एउटा राजकुमार आएर यो मुलुकलाई जादुको छडीले चलायमान बनाउला भन्ने भ्रममा हुन त पाइन्छ । तर, त्यसो हुँदैन ।

गत आर्थिक वर्षको सुरुवातमा मुलुकमा रुवाबासी चल्यो । अर्थतन्त्र सुस्तायो, आयात नियन्त्रण गर्नु पर्ने बाध्यकारी अवस्था आयो, किन थाहा छ, किनकि नेपाली युवाले पठाउने रेमिट्यान्स ह्वात्तै घट्यो । रेमिट्यान्स नेपालीको हातमा छैन । रोजगारदाता मुलुकको आर्थिक, सामाजिक एवं राजनीतिक अवस्थामा भर पर्दछ ।

त्यसैले गत आर्थिक वर्षको सुरुवाती महिनाहरुमा रेमिट्यान्स आय घट्यो ।

आयात प्रतिस्थापन र आत्मनिर्भर अर्थतन्त्रका ठुल्ठुला भाषणले गरेको ध्वनी प्रदुषणको असर कम नहुँदै अत्यावश्यकभन्दा अन्य वस्तुको आयात धान्नै नसक्ने अवस्थामा पुगेपछि सरकार अनि राष्ट्र बैंकले कडिकडाउ गर्नु पर्यो । तर, लोकतन्त्र खतरामा परेन । किनकि, यो मुलुक गरिबका लागि होइन नि चमेली । २०४५ सालअघि दाँया हातका मुठ्ठिभरको मुलुक थियो। २०४६ पछि बाँया हाते मुठ्ठिभरका लागि त स्वर्गै हो, नेपाल। त्यसैले एउटा बालेन लोकतन्त्रका लागि खतरा भयो ।

बालेन एउटा प्रतिनिधि आवाजमात्र हो, कृपया आफ्ना छोराछोरीसँग एकपटक बस्नुस्, उनीहरुका कुरा सुन्नुस् । अनि सोध्नुस्, उनीहरु के भन्छन् ? नेपालमा उनीहरु आफ्नो भविष्य देख्छन् ?

गत आर्थिक वर्षमा २ लाख १० हजार २१७ विद्यार्थी विदेश पढ्न गएछन् । एक दशकको हिसाब निकाल्ने हो भने करिब साढे ५ लाख विद्यार्थी विदेश पढ्न गएछन् । नेपालमा स्नातक तथा स्नातकोत्तरमा तहमा पढ्ने विद्यार्थी घटेको घट्यै छन्, विश्व विद्यालयहरु खाली हुँदैछन् । कोहि पनि नेपालमा पढ्न चाहाँदैनन्, त्यसैले बालेन लोकतन्त्रका लागि खतरा हो ।

आज धेरैका छोराछोरी नेपालमा छैनन्, जो छन् ती पनि उड्न तयार छन् । यो व्यक्तिगत स्वतन्त्रता र मानव अधिकारको विषय पनि हो । अझ तपाईं आफैं पनि ५ वा १० वर्षपछि वा रिटायरमेन्टपछि उतै हानिने सोचमा हुनुहुन्छ होला । त्यसैले आजकाल त घुसको लेनदेन पनि विदेशमा नै हुन्छ भन्ने जगजाहेर नै छ ।

तर, याद राख्नुहोस्, अबको १० वर्षपछि नेपालमा ५०-५५ कटेका वा १२ कक्षा पढ्नेभन्दा कम उमेरका नागरिकमात्र हुनेछन् । त्यतिबेला तपाईंको लोकतन्त्र कसले बचाइदिन्छ ? दन्त्यकथामा झैं कुनै एउटा राजकुमार आएर यो मुलुकलाई जादुको छडीले चलायमान बनाउला भन्ने भ्रममा हुन त पाइन्छ । तर, त्यसो हुँदैन । यो २१औं शताब्दी हो, महोदय ।

गणतन्त्रमाथि खतरा छ भने गणतन्त्रबादीबाटै छ । बालेनबाट होइन । संघीयतामाथि खतरा छ भने, संघीयताबादीबाटै छ । बालेनबाट होइन ।

विश्व बैंकको प्रतिवेदन पढेर जनसांख्यिक लाभको सपनामा दङ्ग हुनुहुन्छ भने बिउँझनुहोस् । काम गर्ने उमेरका युवाको जनसंख्या टन्नै छ भन्ने तथ्यांक घोकेर बस्नु भएको छ भने थाहा पाउनुहोस्, नेपालको जनसांख्यिक लाभ अब खाडी र मलेसियापछि युरोप, अमेरिका, अष्ट्रेलिया, जापानलगायतका विश्वका विकसित मुलुकले उठाउँदैछन् ।

२०७८ को जनगणनाअनुसार १६-४० वर्ष उमेर समूहका युवाको जनसंख्या ४२.५६ प्रतिशत अर्थात् १ करोड २४ लाख १२ हजार १७३ रहेको छ । युवाको संख्या उल्लेख्य हुनु कुनै पनि मुलुकको विकासका लागि राम्रो सूचकांक हो । तर, नेपालमा कुनै पनि सरकारले युवा जनशक्तिको सही परिचालन गरेर लाभ लिन सकेन सकेको छैन ।

२०६८ को जनगणनामा भन्दा युवाको जनसंख्या कम हुनु तथा प्रजनन् दर घट्न थाल्नुले पनि नेपालले जनसांख्यिक लाभ लिने समय छोटिँदैछ भन्ने बुझिन्छ । २०७८ को जनगणनाअनुसार ५ वर्षभन्दा कम उमेरको जनसंख्या १.३३ प्रतिशत विन्दुले कम हुँदा ६० वर्षभन्दा माथिको उमेर समूहको जनसंख्या २.०८ प्रतिशत विन्दुले बढेको छ । नयाँ जन्मिने भन्दा बुढ्यौली उमेरमा जानेको अनुपात बढ्दै गएका कारण नेपालमा आश्रित जनसंख्या बढ्दै छ अनि क्रमश जनसांख्यिक लाभ लिनसक्ने सुविधाजनक अवस्था मुलुकले गुमाउँदै छ ।

जनगणनाले एक दशकअघि नेपालको जनसंख्या वृद्धिदर १.३५ प्रतिशत रहेकोमा हाल त्यो ०.९३ मा झरेको स्पष्ट पारेको छ । २०६८ मा भन्दा जनसंख्या वृद्धिदर एक दशकमा झन्डै ३१ प्रतिशतले घट्नु, त्यसमाथि पनि श्रम गर्ने उमेरका युवा जनसंख्याको वृद्धिदर खुम्चनुले नेपालको विकासका लागि जनसांख्यिक लाभको अवसर घट्दै गइरहेको प्रमाण हो ।

तर, हाम्रो सरकारलाई युवा जनशक्ति घाँडो भएको छ, आन्दोलन गर्लान् भन्ने पीर छ । त्यसैले सकेसम्म नेपालमा रोजगारी सिर्जना गर्न चाहन्न । नेपालमा आजसम्म कुनै बहादुर प्रधानमन्त्री वा अर्थमन्त्री निस्केनन्, जसले गर्वका साथ मैले यति दीर्घकालीन तथा सम्मानजनक रोजगारी सिर्जना गरे भनेर दावी गरोस् ।

जुन मुलुकमा राजनीति नै सबैभन्दा ठुलो पेशा तथा व्यवसाय छ, त्यो मुलुकमा आर्थिक गतिविधिमा संकुचन आउनु अनौठो होइन। युवा जनशक्ति पलायन, पुँजीको अभाव अनि प्राकृतिक स्रोतमा पंचायतकालमा झैं केहि टाठाबाठाको एकाधिकार, अनि लोकतन्त्र के ले जोगाउँछ, चमेली ?

डा. रामशरण महत, महेश आचार्यलाई अनि गिरिजाप्रसाद कोइरालालाई जति गाली गरेपनि सरकारको नीतिकै कारण कल कारखान बढेको, रोजगारी सिर्जना भएको २०४८ देखि २०५२ सम्ममात्र हो । त्यहि नीतिले १० वर्षे आन्तरिक द्धन्द्धमा पनि नेपालको अर्थतन्त्र जोगियो । त्यहि नीतिको लाभांस पाएर नै आज उदार अर्थतन्त्रको विरोधमा कफिसपमा बसेर ट्वीट गर्ने अवसर प्राप्त भएको छ ।

त्यसमाथि नेपाल सरकार आफ्नो युवा जनशक्ति खाडी, मलेसिया नभए जहाँ भएपनि जाउन भन्छ, नेपाल नबसुन् भन्छ । राज्य संयन्त्र आफैं लागेर अर्कै मुलुकको नागरिक बनाएर युवा तस्करी गरेको मुद्दा भर्खर सुरु भएको छ ।

तर, विकसित मुलुकलाई आफ्नो अर्थतन्त्रलाई विस्तार गर्न काम गर्ने उमेरका जनशक्ति चाहिएको छ । नपत्याए एकपटक लोकतन्त्रको मायावी सपनाबाट वास्तविकताको सडकमा ओर्लिएर हिँड्नु होस् त । पुतलीसडक, कुमारीपाटी अनि काठमाडौंमात्र नभएर मुलुकका विभिन्न सहर अनि सहरउन्मुख बजारमा विदेश पठाउने कन्सल्टेन्सिले भरिभराउ छन् । केहि कलेजले त आफैंले आइइएलटिएस र टोफेलका कक्षा पढाउन थालिसके । अब जापानीज र कोरियन कक्षा पनि सुरु गरे भने आश्चार्य मान्नु पर्दैन ।

जुन मुलुकमा राजनीति नै सबैभन्दा ठुलो पेशा तथा व्यवसाय छ, त्यो मुलुकमा आर्थिक गतिविधिमा संकुचन आउनु अनौठो होइन। युवा जनशक्ति पलायन, पुँजीको अभाव अनि प्राकृतिक स्रोतमा पंचायतकालमा झैं केहि टाठाबाठाको एकाधिकार, अनि लोकतन्त्र के ले जोगाउँछ, चमेली ?

अर्थतन्त्र पञ्चायतकालमाझैं लाइसेन्सराजतिर फर्कंदै छ । अर्थतन्त्र प्रतिगामी बाटोमा अनि राजनीति प्रणाली चाहिँ प्रगतीशिल कसरी हुन्छ ?

त्यसैले गणतन्त्रमाथि खतरा छ भने गणतन्त्रबादीबाटै छ । बालेनबाट होइन । संघीयतामाथि खतरा छ भने, संघीयताबादीबाटै छ । बालेनबाट होइन ।

मध्यबानेश्वरमा आत्मदाह गर्ने इलामका युवा उद्यमी प्रेमप्रसाद आचार्य सम्झनु हुन्छ नि, हुनत बिर्सिसक्नु भयो होला । कहाँ फुर्सद छ, नागरिकका बारेमा सोच्ने ? त्यहि प्रेमप्रसाद आचार्य, बालेन, अनि अस्ती त्यो कान्ति बाल अस्पतालमा पालो कुर्दा कुर्दै मृत्युवरण गर्ने ५ वर्षिया छोरी पो हुन् त वास्तवमा लोकतन्त्रका खतरा ।
गणतन्त्रविरुद्धका षड्यन्त्रकारी अनि संघीयता विरोधी!!! (https://clickmandu.com/2023/09/264784.html)

Better migration policies can help boost prosperity in all countries

Populations across the globe are aging at an unprecedented pace, making many countries increasingly reliant on migration to realize their long-term growth potential, according to a new report from the World Bank.

The ‘World Development Report 2023: Migrants, Refugees, and Societies’, identifies this trend as a unique opportunity to make migration work better for economies and people. Wealthy countries as well as a growing number of middle-income countries – traditionally among the main sources of migrants – face diminishing populations, intensifying the global competition for workers and talent. Meanwhile, most low-income countries are expected to see rapid population growth, putting them under pressure to create more jobs for young people.

“Migration can be a powerful force for prosperity and development,” said World Bank senior managing director Axel van Trotsenburg. “When it is managed properly, it provides benefits for all people – in origin and destination societies.”

In the coming decades, the share of working-age adults will drop sharply in many countries. Spain, with a population of 47 million, is projected to shrink by more than one third by 2100, with those above age 65 increasing from 20 per cent to 39 per cent of the population. Countries like Mexico, Thailand, Tunisia and Türkiye may soon need more foreign workers because their population is no longer growing.

Beyond this demographic shift, the forces driving migration are also changing, making cross-border movements more diverse and complex. Today, destination and origin countries span all income levels, with many countries such as Mexico, Nigeria, and the UK both sending and receiving migrants. The number of refugees nearly tripled over the last decade. Climate change threatens to fuel more migration. So far, most climate-driven movements were within countries, but about 40 per cent of the world’s population – 3.5 billion people – lives in places highly exposed to climate impacts, the report reads.

Current approaches not only fail to maximise the potential development gains of migration, they also cause great suffering for people moving in distress. About 2.5 per cent of the world’s population – 184 million people, including 37 million refugees – now live outside their country of nationality. The largest share – some 43 per cent – lives in developing countries, it adds.

The report underscores the urgency of managing migration better. The goal of policymakers should be to strengthen the match of migrants’ skills with the demand in destination societies, while protecting refugees and reducing the need for distressed movements. The report provides a framework for policymakers on how to do this.

“This World Development Report proposes a simple but powerful framework to aid the making of migration and refugee policy,” chief economist of the World Bank Group and senior vice president for Development Economics Indermit Gill said, adding that it tells us when such policies can be made unilaterally by destination countries, when they are better made plurilaterally by destination, transit and origin countries, and when they must be considered a multilateral responsibility.

Origin countries should make labor migration an explicit part of their development strategy. They should lower remittance costs, facilitate knowledge transfers from their diaspora, build skills that are in high demand globally so that citizens can get better jobs if they migrate, mitigate the adverse effects of ‘brain drain’, protect their nationals while abroad, and support them upon return.

Destination countries should encourage migration where the skills migrants bring are in high demand, facilitate their inclusion, and address social impacts that raise concerns among their citizens. They should let refugees move, get jobs, and access national services wherever they are available, the report adds.

International cooperation is essential to make migration a strong force for development. Bilateral cooperation can strengthen the match of migrants’ skills with the needs of destination societies. Multilateral efforts are needed to share the costs of refugee-hosting and to address distressed migration. Voices that are underrepresented in the migration debate must be heard: this includes developing countries, the private sector and other stakeholders, and migrants and refugees themselves.

JICA, Dolma Impact sign $10 million investment pact to aid growth

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) today signed a $10 million investment agreement with Dolma Impact Fund II, focusing investments in renewable energy, technology and healthcare in Nepal.

The fund also contributes to gender equality and fulfills the criteria in the ‘2X Challenge: Financing for Women’, an initiative adopted by the G7 development finance institutions, including JICA, on the occasion of the G7 Leaders' Summit in June 2018, according to a press note issued by JICA and Dolma Impact Fund, jointly. 

According to Dolma Impact Fund, the project will contribute to sustainable development goals – Goal 5 (Gender equality), Goal 7 (Affordable and clean energy), and Goal 8 (Decent work and economic growth).

Chief executive officer of Dolma Impact Fund Tim Gocher, while addressing the signing ceremony in Kathmandu through the virtual medium, said Nepal would see a huge increase in foreign direct investments in the coming future that would create more jobs, prosperity and stronger industrial development.

The Dolma Impact Fund has $100 million under management and has invested in 12 companies across energy, healthcare and technology.

“Nepal needs more aid in hospitals, trained doctors and nurses and medicines manufactured domestically, so that the country can support itself in a future crisis,” Gocher said, adding that Dolma is further investing in renewable energy apart from the existing 46.5 megawatt project (MW), with JICA. “We just do not promote and build renewable energy, we promote the capital markets too, so that more investors come into the sector.”

The Fund has invested in companies like CloudFactory, Fusemachines, Sastodeal, Upaya City Cargo, and Foodmandu. “About 15,000 employees have been created in companies that the Fund has invested in,” said Gocher.

“This is our first partnership with an investment partner in Nepal,” senior deputy director-general of the Private Sector Partnership and Finance Department of JICA Jin Wakabayashi said, adding that Dolma Impact Fund is a leading private equity fund and JICA is excited to partner with such a fund and contribute to the development of Nepal.

JICA has been supporting the Investment Board of Nepal to strengthen sources for investments, he said, adding that JICA has also been in technical cooperation for hydropower projects. “Recently, JICA has started a new technical cooperation project to support entrepreneurs in Nepal.”

JICA's investment will be mainly utilised for equity investment in healthcare companies, IT and digital companies, and renewable energy projects in Nepal. JICA’s investment is part of the final close of Dolma Impact Fund II, which brings the fund corpus to $71.96 million.

“Nepal is facing the challenge of a hollowing out of industry caused by the increased number of migrant workers, which, in turn, is due to a lack of promising domestic industries and job opportunities in Nepal,” the press note reads, adding that the fosterage of promising industries such as healthcare and the IT and digital sector, therefore, is urgently needed in Nepal. 

Dolma Fund Management contributes to the development of the stock market and the private equity fund market in Nepal.

Although Nepal experienced a temporary economic downturn due to the earthquake in 2015, the economy has revived since then and the country is now expected to graduate from the Least Developed Countries (LDC) category by 2026. On the other hand, Nepal is facing the

challenge of a hollowing out of industry caused by the increased number of migrant workers, which in turn is due to the lack of promising domestic industries and job opportunities in Nepal.

Therefore, the fosterage of promising industries such as healthcare and the IT/digital sector is urgently needed in Nepal, the press note reads. “In some areas, however, Nepal has a natural advantage, being blessed with abundant water resources and an economically viable hydropower generation potential estimated at around 42,000 MW. Hence, Nepal is expected to expand its renewable generation capacity to contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in South Asia.”

DFM manages impact investment funds that promote industrial development, employment creation, and renewable energy development.

Nepal Labour Migration Report 2022 launched on International Migrants Day

Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security, International Organisation for Migration (IOM), International Labour Organisation (ILO), and Safer Migration Programme (SaMI) jointly launched the ‘Nepal Labour Migration Report 2022’ on International Migrants Day today.

The report encapsulates the major trends and activities in the country’s labour migration sector covering the period between 2019-2020 and 2021-2022, which follows the efforts of the ministry to periodically present a comprehensive overview of labour migration in Nepal, according to a press note issued by the IOM.

According to the report, the ministry has adopted and implemented a range of policies and legal instruments to address labour migration related issues in the country such as shifting labour migration related services to online system, adopting new directives and procedures for the reintegration of returnee migrant workers, as well as significant modification on immigration policies especially aiming the migrants in major countries of destination. Despite this progress, Nepali migrant workers’ health and safety issues as well as cases of fraud, abuse and exploitation continue to occur in unignorable numbers, it reads.

The report also stresses the importance of ‘informed migration’, awareness, sensitisation, and the need for implementing country specific pre-departure orientation as well as post-arrival orientation for migrants.

Likewise, the report appeals to support the government’s efforts to ensure fair and ethical recruitment, including the implementation of the ‘employer pays’ principle, which means the costs of recruitment should be borne by the employer not by the worker.

Labour Migration has been a common livelihood strategy for Nepalese households over the recent decades. According to the World Bank, remittances contributed equal to some 24 per cent of the country’s GDP in the year 2021.

Addressing the event in capacity of the chief guest minister for labour, employment and social security Sher Bahadur Kunwar extended his best wishes to all the migrants on the occasion of the International Migrants Day, and wished for an environment where all labour migrants can be proud of their work and be able to be united for their rights.

“The report will be a useful resource for everyone for it has covered every aspect of migration including its shifting dynamics,” he said. 

“I am glad that we have been able to continue to join hands with the government and other key stakeholders in presenting such report covering every aspects of the labour migration sector in Nepal, which I believe will eventually contribute to strengthening labour migration governance and ensuring safe, orderly and dignified labour migration in Nepal, envisioned by the Sustainable Development Goals and the Global Compact for Migration (GCM),” said IOM Nepal chief of Mission Lorena Lando, after the report launch.

“Introducing the report on this day dedicated to all migrants across the world, we are contributing to our objectives of humanizing mobility to contribute to social cohesion and reduce negative perceptions about migrants”, she added.

“The foundation of effective policy formulation and implementation is robust research and social dialogue,” said officer-in-charge for ILO Nepal Fredy Guayacan, Congratulating the ministry on the report launch.

“We are honoured to have continued our support for this extremely important work since 2014, which we believe is essential not only to enhance our understanding of the key trends and issues related to labour migration in Nepal but also to reflect on each of our roles in ensuring labour migration governance respects the rights of migrant workers and their families,” he added.

The IOM, ILO and Sami had supported the government in developing the report.

Representatives from various other government agencies, civil society, development partners, academia, researchers, the United Nations, and other national and international organizations were among the attendees of the event.

Every year on December 18, the world celebrates International Migrants Day to mark the anniversary of the adoption of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families by the United Nations General Assembly in 1990. In Nepal, under the leadership of the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security, the country is marked the Day under the theme of ‘skills, capital, and knowledge gained from foreign employment: entrepreneurship, employment and national dignity’.

Nepali civil society groups urge FIFA president to stop dismissing migrant workers’ compensation claims

Over three dozen Nepali civil society organisations have today published an open letter to FIFA president Gianni Infantino calling on him to ‘stop looking the other way’ while migrant workers are denied compensation after having suffered abuses in Qatar.

The organisations have displayed their message on billboards across Kathmandu, including at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), where workers from Qatar often return without their wages and the bodies of deceased migrant workers are regularly repatriated.

The letter highlights how migrant workers, who have returned to Nepal, are unable to access a compensation fund set up by Qatar in 2018 to reimburse stolen wages, and how bereaved families are unable to receive compensation if the causes of their loved ones’ deaths are not investigated.

“We have come together to call on Gianni Infantino to make good on FIFA’s promises to respect workers’ rights and agree to compensate workers who have suffered abuses and families who have lost loved ones,” said executive director of Pravasi Nepali Coordination Committee (PNCC)  Som Prasad Lamichhane.

“We know the real human costs of the abuses faced by so many workers in Qatar,” he said, adding that families have spiralled into poverty, children have been taken out of school, and workers forced to migrate again to pay off debts. “FIFA cannot be blind to this reality and must act to make things right.”

Around 400,000 workers from Nepal are employed across a range of sectors in Qatar, including playing a huge part in building the vast infrastructure projects required to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

While remittances from working abroad play a major part in Nepal’s economy, those who have travelled to work in the Gulf and elsewhere have regularly suffered a range of labour abuses. Nepali workers typically pay illegal recruitment fees of over $1,000 to secure their jobs, and human rights organisations have regularly documented cases of forced labour and unpaid wages, including at sites linked to the World Cup. 

Workers have also lost lives due to dangerous working conditions, and their deaths have rarely been investigated. A peer-reviewed study found that the deaths of at least 200 Nepali construction workers could have been prevented between 2009 and 2017 with adequate protection from extreme heat. 

In recent years Qatar has introduced a number of reforms to strengthen labour laws and opened a new visa centre in Nepal aiming to reduce abuses. Despite some progress, abuses persist on a significant scale. 

“There is a huge danger that when the final whistle is blown on the World Cup, the contribution and sacrifice of so many migrant workers will be forgotten, and their claims for justice and compensation ignored,” said director of Amnesty International Nepal Nirajan Thapaliya.

“If FIFA wants to show respect towards the people who made this tournament possible, Gianni Infantino should finally agree to ensure workers and their families are compensated,” he said, adding, “Their claims must not be dismissed any longer.”

Since May, a global coalition of human rights organisations, trade unions and fans groups have called on FIFA and Qatar to set up a remediation programme that would compensate workers and invest in programmes to prevent future abuses. The call has been supported by 12 Football Associations, four FIFA sponsors, and opinion polls have shown that it is supported by a large majority of the public in 15 countries. 

However, FIFA has continued to refuse to compensate workers. On Monday, a coalition of international human rights organisations criticised FIFA for ‘misleading the world’ on workers’ compensation. Despite FIFA officials having said they were working on a plan to ensure workers were compensated, on the eve of the tournament Gianni Infantino passed the buck and said that anyone who had suffered abuses should simply ‘contact the relevant authorities to seek due recompense’ from Qatar’s existing compensation fund.

However, this mechanism remains inaccessible to those who have already left the country, caps the amount that can be paid to each worker, and will not support families of workers whose deaths may have been wrongly attributed to ‘natural causes’ because investigations were not carried out.

The coalition called on Gianni Infantino to use a newly-announced Legacy Fund, to compensate workers and establish an independent migrant workers’ centre as requested by trade unions such as Building and Wood Workers’ International. The size of the proposed fund is not yet known, and is currently intended to support educational projects and a planned ‘labour excellence hub’.

Nepal to receive $8.5 billion in remittance: WB

Remittances to Nepal are expected to increase by a marginal 3.6 per cent to $8.5 billion in 2022, up from $8.2 billion in 2021, surpassing pre-pandemic levels, according to a report.

The main drivers are an increase in vaccinations and lifting of travel restrictions in the GCC, which is the main destination for Nepali migrants, paired with conducive conditions in the GCC, the Migration and Development Brief-37 (November 2022) titled 'Remittances Brave Global Headwinds', which has special focus on Climate Migration, and published on Wednesday by Migration and Remittances Team, Social Protection and Jobs of World Bank, in association with  Global Knowledge Partnership on Migration and Development (KNOMAD), reads.

While high global inflation did not spare Nepali households in Nepal, thanks to strong market price support policies in the GCC, Nepali migrants enjoyed low inflation and maintained a steady flow of remittances to Nepal in the year, it reads, adding that remittance growth was aided by high oil prices ($98 a barrel) and employment opportunities in the construction projects for the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar. “Considering the centrality of remittances in the Nepali economy, the government offered an incentive for remittances of an additional 1 per cent in interest on remittance deposits, increased the daily threshold for money remitted from abroad from Rs 1 million to Rs 1.5 million, and allowed Non-Resident Nepalis (NRNs) to open foreign currency savings accounts in Nepal.”

Historically, the GCC countries have been the main destination for migrants from South Asia but a gradual structural shift is occurring in favour of higher-income countries for Indian migrants. For the majority of the migrants from other South Asian countries, the GCC is still the main destination. They have temporary contracts for low-skilled jobs mostly in the construction and other labor-intensive sectors (Ahmed and Bossavie 2022). In 2019, about 50 per cent of emigrants from Pakistan and 42 per cent from Bangladesh were in GCC countries. Saudi Arabia employed more than 25 per cent of Sri Lankan emigrants and 20 per cent of Nepali emigrants (UNDESA 2019). Every year 400,000 Nepalis leave for Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Since 2010, every fourth Nepali leaves for Qatar.

Nepal recently started checking those who leave as migrant workers and created job contracts and made salaries public information to prevent recruiters from scamming migrant workers. About 8 per cent to 10 per cent of the South Asian emigrants work in countries within South Asia, the report reads, adding that remittance flows to South Asia are expected to grow by 3.5 per cent to reach $163 billion in 2022, a notable slowdown from the 6.7 per cent gain of 2021, but benefiting from strong performance in India and Nepal. “Overall remittance growth in South Asia (3.5 per cent in 2022) masks a large disparity across country results, from India’s gain of 12 per cent, Nepal’s increase of 4 per cent, to an aggregate decline of 10 per cent for the remaining countries of South Asia.”

Remittances grow by 5 per cent in 2022 despite global headwinds

Remittances to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) withstood global headwinds in 2022, growing by an estimated 5 per cent to $626 billion, according to a report.

“This is sharply lower than the 10.2 per cent increase in 2021, according to the latest World Bank Migration and Development Brief published on Wednesday. 

Remittances are a vital source of household income for LMICs, it reads, adding that they alleviate poverty, improve nutritional outcomes, and are associated with increased birth weight and higher school enrollment rates for children in disadvantaged households. “Studies show that remittances help recipient households to build resilience, for example through financing better housing and to cope with the losses in the aftermath of disasters.”

Remittance flows to developing regions were shaped by several factors in 2022. A reopening of host economies as the Covid-19 pandemic receded supported migrants’ employment and their ability to continue helping their families back home, the report reads. “Rising prices, on the other hand, adversely affected migrants’ real incomes. Also influencing the value of remittances is the appreciation of the ruble, which translated into higher value, in US dollar terms, of outward remittances from Russia to Central Asia.”

In the case of Europe, a weaker euro had the opposite effect of reducing the US dollar valuation of remittance flows to North Africa and elsewhere. In countries that experienced scarcity of foreign exchange and multiple exchange rates, officially recorded remittance flows declined as flows shifted to alternative channels offering better rates.

“Migrants help to ease tight labour markets in host countries while supporting their families through remittances,” World Bank Global Director for Social Protection and Jobs, Michal Rutkowski said, adding that inclusive social protection policies have helped workers weather the income and employment uncertainties created by the Covid-19 pandemic. “Such policies have global impacts through remittances and must be continued.”

By region, Africa stands to be the most severely exposed to the concurrent crises, including severe drought and spikes in global energy and food commodity prices. Remittances to Sub-Saharan Africa are estimated to have increased by 5.2 per cent compared with 16.4 per cent last year. In other regions, remittance flows are estimated to have increased by 10.3 per cent to Europe and Central Asia, where rising oil prices and demand for migrant workers in Russia supported remittances, in addition to the currency valuation effect. In Ukraine, remittance growth is estimated at 2 per cent, lower than earlier projections as funds for Ukrainians were sent to countries hosting them, and hand-carried money transfers likely increased.

Growth in remittance flows is estimated at 9.3 per cent for Latin America and the Caribbean, 3.5 per cent in South Asia, 2.5 per cent in the Middle East and North Africa, and 0.7 per cent in East Asia and the Pacific. In 2022, for the first time a single country, India, is on track to receive more than $100 billion in yearly remittances.

In a special feature on climate-driven migration, the Brief notes that rising pressures from climate change will both drive increases in migration within countries and impair livelihoods. The poorest are likely to be most affected as they often lack the resources necessary to adapt or move. Studies show that migration can play a role in coping with climate impacts, for example, by providing an escape from disasters and also through remittances and other forms of support to affected households. Changes in the international legal norms and institutional frameworks for migration may be required to cope with the challenge of climate-related migration, particularly in the context of cross-border mobility, as is the case for small island nations.

“People throughout history have responded to deteriorating climates by moving to survive,” lead author of the Brief and head of the Global Knowledge Partnership on Migration and Development (KNOMAD) Dilip Ratha said, adding that planning for safe and regular migration as a part of adaptation strategies will be required for managing displacement in the affected regions as well as the influx of people in the receiving communities. “National and regional development strategies should be viewed through a climate migration lens.”

Also reported in the Brief is the cost of sending $200 across international borders to LMICs, which remains high at 6 per cent on average in the second quarter of 2022, according to the Remittances Prices Worldwide Database. It is cheapest to send via mobile operators (3.5 per cent), but digital channels account for less than 1 per cent of total transaction volume. Digital technologies allow for significantly faster and cheaper remittance services. However, the burden of compliance with Anti-Money Laundering/Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) regulations continues to restrict access of new service providers to correspondent banks. These regulations also affect migrants’ access to digital remittance services.

Regional Remittance Trends

Remittances to South Asia grew an estimated 3.5 per cent to $163 billion in 2022, but there is large disparity across countries, from India’s projected 12 per cent gain – which is on track to reach $100 billion in receipts for the year – to Nepal’s 4 per cent increase, to an aggregate decline of 10 per cent for the region’s remaining countries. The easing of flows reflects the discontinuation of special incentives some governments had introduced to attract flows during the pandemic, as well as preferences for informal channels offering better exchange rates. Remittances to India were enhanced by wage hikes and a strong labor market in the US and other OECD countries. In the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) destination countries, governments ensured low inflation through direct support measures that protected migrants’ ability to remit. Sending $200 to the region cost 4.1 per cent on average in the second quarter of 2022, down from 4.3 per cent a year ago, the report adds.

The Migration and Development Brief analyzes trends in migration-related SDG indicators: increasing the volume of remittances as a percentage of GDP, reducing remittance costs, and reducing recruitment costs.

Remittances to the East Asia and Pacific region are estimated to have increased by 0.7 per cent to $134 billion in 2022, arresting the decline of the previous two years. Labour shortages in the hospitality and health sectors of high-income economies and higher oil prices benefiting Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries boosted demand for workers in 2022, which supported remittances. However, remittances to China are estimated to have dropped by nearly 4 per cent, driven by restrictions on workers from traveling abroad due to Covid-related policies. Remittances as a share of GDP are significant in Tonga (50 per cent) and Samoa (34 per cent). In 2023, remittances are projected to decline by 1 per cent due to weaker conditions in migrants’ destination countries. The cost of sending $200 to the region rose to 6.2 per cent on average in the second quarter of 2022 from 5.8 per cent a year earlier.

Remittance flows to Europe and Central Asia are estimated to have increased by 10.3 per cent to $72 billion in 2022. Rising oil prices and demand for migrant workers increased the flow of remittances from Russia to Central Asian countries. The appreciation of the ruble against the US dollar translated into higher value, in dollar terms, of outward remittances from Russia to Central Asia. Remittances to the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan exceed by 30 per cent of GDP. In 2023, remittance receipts are projected to moderate further to 4.2 per cent growth due to a softer outlook for major remittance-sending countries. The cost of sending $200 to the region rose slightly to 6.4 per cent on average in the second quarter of 2022 (data excludes corridors originating in Russia).

Remittances to Latin America and the Caribbean are estimated to have grown by 9.3 per cent in 2022 to $142 billion. Data for the first nine months of 2022 show a 45 per cent increase for Nicaragua, 20 per cent for Guatemala, 15 per cent for Mexico, and 9 per cent for Colombia. Stronger employment of migrants from Latin America in the US contributed to remittance flows. Remittances received by migrants in transit also contributed to strong flows in Mexico and Central America. As a share of GDP, remittances exceed 20 per cent in El Salvador, Honduras, Jamaica, and Haiti. In 2023, remittances will likely moderate to 4.7 per cent growth due to a weaker economic outlook for the US, Italy, and Spain. Sending $200 to the region cost 6 per cent on average in the second quarter of 2021, up from 5.6 per cent a year ago.

Remittances to the developing countries of the Middle East and North Africa are estimated to have grown by 2.5 per cent in 2022 to $63 billion, compared to a 10.5 per cent growth last year. Slower growth in remittances is partly tied to the erosion of real wage gains in the Euro Area, even as demand for remittances in home countries increased amid deteriorating conditions, including drought in the Maghreb and high imported wheat prices. As a share of GDP, remittances are significant in Lebanon (38 per cent) and West Bank and Gaza (19 per cent). Remittance inflows are projected to grow by 2 per cent in 2023. Sending $200 to the region cost 6.3 per cent on average in the second quarter of 2022, the report reads.

JICA to support programme for elevating international migrants

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) today signed a Record of Discussions with the government for the ‘Project on Career Development and Entrepreneurship Support Programme for International Migrants’, a technical cooperation project.

The project will be implemented for Career Development and Entrepreneurship Support Programme of the returnee migrants from Japan aiming at enhancing their information access and developing their capacity so that the industrial development of Nepal can be promoted, according to a press note issued by the JICA. The project adopts a demand-driven approach that supports returnee migrants, who want to acquire skills and competencies and further implement their acquired knowledge for establishing a productive business/career in Nepal eventually contributing to the economic development of Nepal, it reads, adding that the project intends to fulfill Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Goal 8 ‘Decent Work & Economic Growth.’

The project plans to appoint mentors who continuously provide training to the returnees recipients for enhancing their capacity in career planning and entrepreneurship throughout the migration flow (pre -migration, while-in Japan and after returning).

The total period of the project is five years  from 2023 to 2027 and the Implementing Agency for the project is Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security (MoLESS), Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE) and Foreign Employment Board (FEB), the press note of the Japanese development agency further reads.

Unprecedented shocks rattle South Asia, exacerbating challenges and dampening growth

Beset with Sri Lanka’s economic crisis, Pakistan’s catastrophic floods, a global slowdown, and impacts of the war in Ukraine, South Asia faces an unprecedented combination of shocks on top of the lingering scars of the Covid-19 pandemic. Growth in the region is dampening, says the World Bank in its twice-a-year update, underscoring the need for countries to build resilience.

Released today, the latest ‘South Asia Economic Focus, Coping with Shocks: Migration and the Road to Resilience’, projects regional growth to average 5.8 per cent this year - a downward revision of 1 percentage point from the forecast made in June. This follows growth of 7.8 per cent in 2021, when most countries were rebounding from the pandemic slump.

While economic distress is weighing down all South Asian countries, some are coping better than others. Exports and the services sector in India, the region’s largest economy, have recovered more strongly than the world average while its ample foreign reserves served as a buffer to external shocks. The return of tourism is helping to drive growth in Maldives, and to a lesser extent in Nepal—both of which have dynamic services sectors. The combined effects of Covid-19 and the record-high commodity prices due to the war in Ukraine took a heavier toll on Sri Lanka, exacerbating its debt woes and depleting foreign reserves, the report reads, adding that plunged into its worst-ever economic crisis, Sri Lanka’s real GDP is expected to fall by 9.2 per cent this year and a further 4.2 per cent in 2023. “High commodity prices also worsened Pakistan’s external imbalances, bringing down its reserves. After devastating climate-change-fueled floods submerged one-third of the country this year, its outlook remains subject to significant uncertainty.”

“Pandemics, sudden swings in global liquidity and commodity prices, and extreme weather disasters were once tail-end risks,” World Bank vice president for South Asia Martin Raiser said, adding, “In the face of these shocks, countries need to build stronger fiscal and monetary buffers, and reorient scarce resources towards strengthening resilience to protect their people.”

Inflation in South Asia, caused by elevated global food and energy prices and trade restrictions that worsened food insecurity in the region, is expected to rise to 9.2 per cent this year before gradually subsiding. The resulting squeeze on real income is severe, particularly for the region’s poor who spend a large share of their income on food.

South Asia’s migrant workers, many of whom are employed in the informal sector, were disproportionately affected when restrictions to movement were imposed during Covid-19. However, the later phase of the pandemic has highlighted the crucial role migration can play in facilitating recovery. Survey data from the report suggests that in late 2021 and early 2022, migration flows are associated with movement from areas hit hard by the pandemic to those that were not, thus helping equilibrate demand and supply of labour in the aftermath of the Covid-19 shock.

“Labour mobility across and within countries enables economic development by allowing people to move to locations where they are more productive,” World Bank chief economist for South Asia Hans Timmer said, adding that it also helps adjust to shocks such as climate events to which South Asia’s rural poor are particularly vulnerable. “Removing restrictions to labour mobility is vital to the region’s resilience and its long-term development.”

To this end, the report also offers two recommendations. Firstly, cutting the costs migrants face should be high on the policy agenda. Secondly, policymakers can de-risk migration through several means including more flexible visa policies, mechanisms to support migrant workers during shocks, and social protection programmes.

Links between migration and sustainable development discussed

Students today discussed on interlinkages between migration and sustainable development at an interactive event organised jointly by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to mark the SDGs Action Week 2021.

"The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development recognises that migration, if managed well, can be a powerful driver of sustainable development to both the countries of origin and host,” said the UN resident coordinator for Nepal Sara Nyanti, addressing the event.

"Remittances inflow to Nepal contributes equal to nearly 30 per cent of the country’s GDP," she said, adding that it is crucial that all play role in making Nepali migration work for sustainable development.

The event was organised with the aim to sensitise and bring the young people into discussion about how migrant youths and well-governed migration contribute to achieve the sustainable development goals.

"Nepalis are working, studying, or living in over 100 countries across the world," IOM Nepal chief of mission Lorena Lando said addressing the inaugural session. "Over a million Nepalis have returned home since the pandemic hit the country in 2020 - many of them empty-handed," she said, adding that an IOM study conducted in September 2020 suggests that 50 per cent of the returned migrants desired for remigration citing lack of livelihood opportunities and poverty at home. "IOM sees an urgent need to set up an integrated rights-based and gender-responsive sustainable socio-economic reintegration package for the returnee communities."

Migration experts from IOM’s regional office in Bangkok and Headquarters in Geneva were among the presenters at the event, which was organised in collaboration with Samata School, an educational foundation serving the nation by providing education in much lower fee-structure with motto of 'Education for All'.

The programme is part of the UN Nepal initiative to bring together stakeholders to reinforce shared commitment between partners across government, civil society, business, academia, and the UN system to accelerate action on the sustainable development goals (SDGs) during an annual week of action, awareness, and accountability for the SDGs, called SDGs Action Week from September 17 to 28.

The global theme for the year is #TurnItAround for a healthy, green and just recovery and keep the promise of the SDGs.

Nepalis can go to Israel from next month

 The Israeli labour market has been opened for Nepali youth as Nepal and Israel today signed 'Implementation Protocol' of agreement.

“Nepali migrant workers can go to Israel as an 'Implementation Protocol' has been signed between Nepal and Israel today for the implementation of the agreement related to temporary employment of Nepali workers in the labour market of Israel,” according to a press note issued by the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security.

Nepali ambassador to Israel Dr Anjan Shakya and Israeli Foreign Affairs Minister Gabi Ashkenazi had signed the labour pact five months ago on September 30, 2020.  

The protocol was today signed by the director general of the Department of Foreign Employment Kumar Dahal and Israeli ambassador to Nepal Hanan Godar – on behalf of their respective governments – at a programme organised at the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security.

Expressing belief that diplomatic as well as labour relations between the two countries will be even more cordial in the days to come, labour minister Gauri Shankar Chaudhary said that a new dimension has been added to the bilateral relations between Nepal and Israel with the signing of the protocol.

He also urged the Israeli government to provide opportunities of employment to Nepali youths in other sectors except in caregiver sector.

Likewise, Dahal – after siging the protocol – said that the department will maintain transparency in the process of filling online applications for the implementation of the protocol. Nepali envoy to Israel Dr Anjan Shakya – who was presented virtually on the occasion – said that she was actively involved in opening the labour market of Israel to Nepalis since she reached Israel as the Nepali ambassador.

In the first phase, some 500 Nepalis will be able to go Israel – one of the most lucrative labour destinations – for caregiver job after signing of the protocol, the ministry explained, adding that Nepali youths will get employment as caregivers as well as in hospitals, nursing homes and daycare centers. “They will get perks and benefits according to the laboor related laws of Israel.”

According to the agreement, the Nepali youths will go for employment to Israel through government to government (G2G) arrangements of both countries, and the private sector will not be involved. 

Though, the ministry claimed that the employment in Israel has been made systematic and transparent as much as possible as the government is sending skilled and capable workers to Israel, the private sector still doubts. 

There are some 2,500 Nepalis in Israel currently, according to Nepali Embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel.

‘People-to-People’ support is an exemplary contribution towards Nepal’s recovery efforts

 The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) Nepal informed that a project funded by the people of Thailand to support the Nepalis for their recovery and reconstruction efforts from the earthquake 2015 has concluded on an exemplarily successful note. The results of the project were presented today in Kathmandu.

They constructed eight earthquake-resistant multi-purpose community centers at eight districts hit worst by the earthquake; assisted local authorities in identification and mapping of total of 32 open spaces that can be used for life-saving activities at the onset of disaster; and reached out to more than 5,000 local people – including youths and women, and those in decision making positions – to raise awareness about protection of open spaces, according to a press note issued by the IOM.

In the aftermath of the 2015 earthquakes, the government of Thailand and IOM Nepal stepped up in 2018 to support the efforts of the Nepal in sustainable recovery and construction aiming at reducing the challenges the country has been facing due to natural hazards related disasters, the subsequent displacements, while building communities resilient to disasters.

Addressing the event, ambassador of Thailand to Nepal Vosita Vorasaph congratulated IOM for the success of the project. He also underlined the strong ties between Nepal and Thailand and said that the assistance from Thai people to Nepalis in their recovery efforts reflects that Thailand always values its bond with Nepal.

As Nepal is recognised as the 20th most disaster-prone country in the world, it is crucial for us to be prepared to provide humanitarian assistance to displaced populations and to build resilience to better respond at time of natural disasters,” said IOM Nepal chief of Mission Lorena Lando, addressing the event.

“IOM, as the global migration agency, brings a unique perspective and added value to global efforts in reducing disaster risk and building resilience, and IOM stands ready to support all three tiers of government to reduce disaster risks and assist vulnerable communities and migrants in building a disaster-resilient society,” she added.

Likewise, joint secretary of Ministry of Urban Development Surendra Mohan Shrestha thanked the Thailand for its support to Nepal in building communities more resilient to disasters after the earthquake 2015.

The project has also supported creating a module on open spaces into the Building Information Platform Against Disaster (BIPAD), owned by Nepal. BIPAD will display information on open spaces in 13 municipalities, identified and verified by IOM in coordination with local and federal governments in Bagmati Province, Gandaki Province and Lumbini Provinces.

Similarly, the project also conducted trainings for elected and municipal officials on disaster risk reduction and management and technical support in developing a draft disaster management fund mobilisation guideline, the press note reads.

The community centers will prioritise the most vulnerable people affected by a disaster, including pregnant women, children, people with special needs and the elderly. It will provide an immediate safe shelter. In normal times, the center serve as a venue for community and municipal activities - for community-based trainings, recreational pursuits, information dissemination, income generating initiatives and as a safe activity space for women and youth.

The project has delivered 13 publications, including Open Space Map Atlases of identified open spaces in all eight municipalities. Those include details regarding the selection criteria that can be used by the local governments to enhance disaster preparedness and raise awareness on where to resort in case of a disaster.

The project ‘People to People Support for Building Community Resilience through Recovery and Reconstruction in Nepal’ was implemented by IOM under the leadership of the government, mainly the Ministry of Urban Development, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration. 

As a co-lead for camp coordination and Camp Management Cluster in humanitarian emergencies (CCCM), IOM Nepal contributes to the government’s efforts in disaster risk reduction and on building resilient communities.

Remittance may drop significantly, warns World Bank again

 Though, the central bank is upbeat about the remittance inflow, World Bank estimates that Nepali migrant workers are going to send home only $7.39 billion in 2020, down by 12 per cent from pre-coronavirus levels in 2019.

“In 2019, Nepali migrant workers sent home $8.25 billion back, the World Bank Migration and Development Brief released today reads. “The virus-related global slowdown and travel restrictions will also affect migratory movements, and this is likely to keep remittances subdued even in 2021.”

The Brief reads that tepid economic growth and employment levels in countries hosting migrants, weak oil prices and depreciation of the currencies of remittance-source countries against the US dollar were all factors behind the decline. 

The central bank however claims that Nepal might not see negative growth in remittance earnings in 2020, but the growth momentum might not last in 2021 as the global economy gets battered by the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to the central bank, the remittance inflow continue to grow, against all the odds in the global job providing countries. The remittances inflow between mid-July and mid-September increased by 8.1 per cent to Rs 165.73 billion in 2020 compared to a decrease of 0.6 per cent in the same period of a year ago. “There has been a better-than-expected growth in remittance sent by Nepali migrant workers as of September but the uncertainty is rising due to Covid-19 pandemic the next year might see drop in the remittance inflow,” the central bank claimed.

The remittance inflow swelled, despite the spread of coronavirus, because of diversion of remittance to the formal banking channel from informal hundi, due to the Covid-19 created disturbances. The Nepali migrant workers also sent cash instead of goods due to global lockdown, according to the central bank.

The government imposed lockdown across the country on March 24, which continued for 4 months. The central bank – in April – released a survey claiming that the remittance inflow will drop by over 15 per cent in the last fiscal year 2019-20 that ends in mid-July. Likewise the World Bank also had projected remittances to go down by 14 per cent, whereas the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) also projected a reduction of Rs 163 billion – or over 18 per cent – in remittance inflow due to coronavirus pandemic. 

The number of Nepali migrant workers – institutional and individual-new and legalized – taking approval for foreign employment plunged by 99.2 per cent in April, according to the macro-economic report of the central bank. “Likewise, the number of Nepali migrant workers – renew entry – taking approval for foreign employment decreased by 86.5 per cent.”

The World Bank has also warned that the stock of international migrants is likely to decline for the first time in recent history as new migration has slowed and return migration has increased. “Return migration has been reported in all parts of the world following the lifting of national lockdowns which left many migrant workers stranded in host countries,” the World Bank Brief reads, adding that rising unemployment in the face of tighter visa restrictions on migrants and refugees is likely to result in a further increase in return migration.

Thus, the remittances growth is expected to slow down not only in Nepal, but almost all countries are going to see a decline in the amount they receive as transfers from their migrant workers abroad, the World Bank’s Brief reads. “In India and Sri Lanka, remittances are projected to fall by about 9 per cent in 2020 to $76 billion and $6.7 billion, respectively.”

But in Pakistan, remittances will grow at about 9 per cent, totalling about $24 billion. In Bangladesh, remittances are projected to grow at about 8 per cent to around $20 billion.

Remittance inflow continue to post growth

Remittance inflows in the first two months of the current fiscal year were recorded a growth rate of 8.1 per cent to Rs 165.73 billion, though it is down from the 23 per cent growth in the first month.

“Nepalis abroad sent home back Rs 165.73 billion in the two-month of the current fiscal year despite expectation of remittance drop due to Covid-19 pandemic,” according to central bank’s macroeconomic report released today.

The migrant workers sent home Rs 73.02 billion back during the period mid-August to mid-September – the second month of the current fiscal year, the report reads, adding that Nepali migrant workers sent home Rs 875.03 billion in the last fiscal year. 

Nepal received an all-time monthly high of Rs 100.16 billion in remittance in the last month of the last fiscal year boosting the annual earnings, unlike the expectation of drop due to coronavirus. The central bank – in April – had projected a drop of over 15 per cent in remittance inflow, after the government imposed a lockdown on March 24 to contain the spread of coronavirus. Likewise, the World Bank has also projected a drop of over 14 per cent in remittances in the last fiscal year 2019-20 due to coronavirus. The Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) too had projected a reduction of Rs 163 billion or over 18 per cent fall in remittance inflow.

However, remittance inflow to Nepal failed all the projections, though the annual remittance inflow witnessed a marginal drop. Economists suspected that the illegal transfers through hundi has been halted due to coronavirus pandemic giving the official channel a boost. 

However, the economists still believe a drop in remittance inflow as the global growth is projected at 5.2 per cent in 2021, a little lower than in the June Update, reflecting the more moderate downturn projected for 2020 and consistent with expectations of persistent social distancing.

According to the macroeconomic report, the number of Nepali workers – institutional and individual-new and legalized – taking approval for foreign employment plunged by 99.2 per cent in the two months of the current fiscal year. Likewise, the number of Nepali workers – renew entry – taking approval for foreign employment decreased by 86.5 per cent in the same period.

Diaspora scholars Insisted Nepal to ensure safe, orderly, and regular labour migration

 Nepali Diaspora researchers, academics and practitioners highlighted that Nepal has to utilise the Covid-19 Pandemic as an opportunity to review its existing migration policies, implementation and prepare a new roadmap for future migration speaking in a virtual dialogue today. 

The virtual policy dialogue – organised by Center for Diplomacy and Development (CDD), Nepal Institute of International Cooperation and Engagement (NIICE), Nepal Policy Institute (NPI) and Nepalese Migrants Unity Network (NeMUN) on ‘Rethinking Migration: Need of the hour’ – concluded that Nepal’s should take stern action to ensure the outmigration is safe, orderly and regular, which is the main essence of the Global Compact for Migration (GCM). GCM is the first-ever UN global agreement on a common approach to international migration in all its dimensions, which Nepal has also signed in 2019 along with other 164 countries.

Giving the welcoming remark at the virtual event, CDD founder president and former ambassador to France Mohan Krishna Shrestha emphasised that protection of migrant workers’ rights can be ensured only when the government rules and regulation are strongly implemented by the recruitment agencies in Nepal and the state makes the foreign employers accountable to protect the rights of the migrant workers.

Addressing the webinar, Foreign Employment Board (FEB) executive director Rajan Prasad Shrestha opined that to protect the Nepali workers national and international efforts should be made. He underscored the role of diaspora organisations such as NPI to advice the migration stakeholders of Nepal on future planning and policies. Shrestha also informed that the government has the policy to attract the returnee migrants in the agricultural field and they will be also mobilised in the other development sectors of the country utilising the skill and experiences they have gained abroad.

Presenting at the webinar, the chairperson of NPI Khagendra Dhakal emphasised that Migration should be a choice of Nepalis but not a forced decision for survival. 

NPI – an international think-tank initiated by the Nepali diaspora two years ago and migration has been one of the core areas of its focus – chair Dhakal pointed that all migration stakeholders should take migration as a positive tool of development for the home and host country both but how home countries can be successful in benefiting from the migration depends on the countries’ national strategies. “However, countries like Nepal have failed to link the labour migration to the development to date in most of the cases, which is what should be the future debate,” Dhakal said, adding that Nepali migrant workers have been abused and exploited in each and every stage of the migration cycle from the recruiting to the returning stage and the main cause of such exploitation is due to lack of awareness about foreign employment processes.

Referring to the recent research conducted by NPI, Dhakal said that some 70 per cent of the returnee migrants are completely unaware of what programmes the government has planned for them in their own country. He also questioned how helpless they could be when they are in a foreign land where they can’t even under the local language.

For the future policy and planning, Dhakal, who is also an Adjunct Professor at King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thailand, advised that Nepal should adopt the ‘whole of government’ approach to tackle migration for which skilling, reskilling, and upskilling, “These programmes should be conducted in collaboration with employer and host countries governments using effective labour diplomacy,” he said, suggesting the government on prioritising SDG4 and GCM Objectives 18 to ensure the safe migration and decent work for all Nepali labor migrant workers. “While conducting skill development programmes, Nepal needs to conduct market research and create intellectual debates to understand the changing trend of skills demand in the international labour market.”

Seconding Dhakal, another migration expert based in North Africa Meena Poudel said that migration is a natural process, but the exploitations are basically caused by the unethical recruitment process adopted by local recruitment agencies and foreign employer companies. “Cartels of labour migration stakeholders is the major cause for Nepali migrant workers exploitation which government has not been and is not willing to dig in in true sense,” he said, advising the government to consider the migration governance as a priority for the future migration policy planning to ensure labor migration is humane and orderly.

Ramzan Babu Ali Miya from Qatar and Sapana Basyal from Malaysia also shared their experiences of working with migrant labourers in their respective countries for the past several years. They shared the fragile conditions of Nepali migrant workers during the Covid-19 pandemic. Both of them are actively engaged with the migrant workers’ rights protection for many years in those countries. They urged the government to protect their nationals’ rights even when they are abroad to run their family’s daily lives back home in Nepal. The migrant workers are contributors to Nepal’s economy and the government should put them in the social protection framework even they are undocumented, they advised.

Summing up the policy dialogue, Jeevan Sharma associated with the University of Edinburgh, said that migration will go on despite of pandemic and other challenges through the type of jobs and destinations may change. Sharma, a migration researcher currently based in the UK, also pointed out that Nepal has realised migration in terms of financial remittance only, but a country can get much more than that from migrant labourers with effective strategies. He highlighted a consent point of all experts that migrant workers return and go back to their village and do agricultural work is an old assumption. Until and unless the basic needs are supplied in the village and the agricultural system has been transformed with the use of technology, the country may fail to attract returnees to the rural villages for agricultural work.

Sharma expressed his surprise that the government makes promises to create more employment in the country to discourage the labour migration in one hand and it is signing agreements with different countries. “This makes it harder for the public to understand what the government’s direction towards migration is actually,” questioned Sharma.

Participants of the dialogue questioned the government on the indicators of the implementation of the plans and programmes. They echoed that without effective implementation and monitoring mechanism programs on paper cannot result in the desired outcome.

The programme was moderated by the NPI executive board member Sharu Joshi, who is also a migrant expert with her intensive experience with government and UN system for the past decade. “Covid-19 has surfaced the problems of migrant workers that the public also have been realising slowly and the dialogue involving diaspora scholars’ actioners and Nepal based migration expert is just timely to chart out the future policies of migration for Nepal, she said, advising the government to create open debates and utilise diaspora intellectual resources for the informed policies of Nepal including migration. “The synergy between the diaspora scholars and Nepal based scholars could contribute significantly to achieve the national goals.”

The programme was attended by officials from the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Nepali Academics from different universities from Nepal, Policy Research Institute, Association of Nepalis in the Americas, government, former ambassadors, migrant organisations representatives, diaspora academics and practitioners from North America, Europe, Middle East, Asia-Pacific Region.

IOM hands over another multipurpose community centre in Bhimeshwor

A newly constructed multipurpose community centre at Bhimeshwor municipality of Dolakha district was officially handed over to the municipal authorities today. This earthquake-resistant building constructed by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) with funding from the people of Thailand through the Royal Thai government, will be used by the municipality as ‘coordination hub’ in its response to crises like Covid-19 pandemic.
“With the operation of multipurpose evacuation center in the municipality, IOM is hopeful that the disaster risk management can be supported from the grassroot level to encompass all the beneficiaries,” said head of Programmes at IOM Nepal Jitendtra Bohara.
Confirmed Covid cases in Nepal have been increasing daily, although there has been decline partly attributed to declining number of returnees from neighbouring India, while the country saw sharp increase in cases after the Indian government eased its lockdown effective from June 1. Majority of cases in Nepal so far, have been returnee migrants, read a press note issued by the IOM-Kathmandu Office today.
“Having designated open spaces with on-site amenities is certainly much safer and important than setting up tent at random area at the event of disaster,” said the Bhimeshwor municipality mayor Bharat Bahadur KC, inaugurating the building.
On the same occasion, mayor KC also unveiled the ‘Open Space Map Book’ developed by the IOM covering all details of designated ‘open spaces’ in the municipality to be used for humanitarian purposes in the event of a disaster. The map book covers all details of ‘open spaces’ such as Global Positioning System (GPS) location, total area, nearest route for evacuation when disaster strikes, nearest emergency services and so on around the open spaces.
IOM is supporting the government in the identification and protection of ‘open spaces’ in the provinces of Bagmati, Gandaki and Province 5. The 83 open spaces identified in Kathmandu valley with support from the IOM, were found to be useful during the Nepal earthquake 2015 that displaced approximately 2.8 million people. The identified open spaces will be integrated to government’s BIPAD platform, a real time database information management sharing portal that will be related completely to both natural and non-natural hazards.
On the onset of disaster, the building will be used to provide shelter for displaced people with priority given to the most vulnerable, including pregnant women, children, people with special needs and the elderly people. In times when no disasters or emergencies are prevalent, the building will serve as a venue for community and municipal activities, including women and youth groups, community-based trainings, recreational pursuits, information dissemination and income generating activities.
Under the same project, IOM is building similar multipurpose structures in seven other municipalities in earthquake-affected districts namely Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Gorkha, Dhading, Sindhupalchowk and Rasuwa, with the structure in Bhaktapur district already completed and handed over to the concerned authority.
The project, part of support from the people of Thailand to the Nepalese people in their recovery efforts from the earthquake 2015, is being implemented under the leadership of the government, mainly the Ministry of Urban Development, Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration.
As co-lead for camp coordination and camp management (CCCM) cluster in humanitarian emergencies, IOM Nepal contributes to government’s efforts in disaster risk reduction and building resilient communities.

Nepal 19th biggest recipient of remittance

Nepali migrant workers sent home $8.1 billion in the fiscal year 2018-19, making Nepal the 19th biggest beneficiary of funds sent by migrants around the world, according to a report released by World Bank today.
The remittances were up by 16.39 per cent year-on-year despite a drop in the number of departures of the workers. As a share of the gross domestic product (GDP) for the last fiscal year 2018-19, Nepal is among the top five recipient smaller economies, along with Tonga, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan and Haiti.
Five South Asian countries are in the top 20 list of biggest beneficiaries of remittances, with Nepal taking the fourth spot in the region is behind India ($78.6 billion), Pakistan ($21 billion) and Bangladesh ($15.5 billion), but ahead of Sri Lanka ($7.5 billion) in terms of remittances, according to the World Bank’s Migration and Development Brief released today.
India is the world’s top recipient of remittances followed by China, Mexico, the Philippines and Egypt. The World Bank said that remittances to South Asia grew by 12 per cent to $131 billion in 2018, outpacing the 6 per cent growth in 2017. The report said that migrant workers and others sent home an estimated $529 billion to low- and middle-income countries last year, up by 9.6 per cent from the year before, which had also been a record. Such money transfers should hit $550 billion this year, making them the largest source of external finance, according to the bank.
Among the development goals set by the United Nations (UN) in 2015 was reducing the cost of remittances to 3 per cent. “However, banks on average were charging 11 per cent in the first quarter of 2019 while post offices charged 7 per cent,” it said, adding that many banks and money transfer operators charged too much, cutting into the gains of migration. “However, the factor making money transfer costs rise are banks’ efforts to avoid money-laundering and terrorism finance.”
“The high costs of money transfers reduce the benefits of migration,” the report’s lead author Dilip Ratha is quoted in a statement.
According to the central bank macroeconomic report of the last fiscal year 2018-19, Nepali migrant worker departures plunged due to a sharp decline in the number of people leaving for Malaysia – one of the most popular labour destinations for Nepalis – dragged down departure figures.
The World Bank report stated that migrant workers continue to be afflicted by recruitment malpractices including cheating by recruiters, who charged recruitment fees. Excessive charges borne by workers also led the Nepal government to halt worker departures to Malaysia in May 2018, the World Bank said.
Likewise, ministers from 12 Asian labour-sending countries – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam – met in Kathmandu last November in a high-level meeting of the sixth Ministerial Consultation on Overseas Employment and Contractual Labour for Countries of Origin in Asia (Colombo Process) and made a commitment of ‘zero-cost’ jobs for migrant workers. In the similar line, Nepal and Malaysia signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in October 2018 under which Malaysian employers would bear all necessary recruitment costs to hire Nepali workers, including visa and airplane tickets.
Likewise, Japan has identified nine priority countries as foreign labour sources on the heels of a new policy to admit 345,000 foreign workers over a period of five years starting April 11, 2019, the bank said, adding that except for Nepal, all the countries are in East Asia like Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Mongolia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. “Workers from these countries will be admitted into 14 sectors facing severe labour shortages.”
Both Nepal and the Philippines signed a memorandum of cooperation with Japan on March 25, 2019.