At a time when the Covid 19 pandemic has badly affected the income prospects of the general public and disrupted employment opportunities, the Nepalese government has cut down its target for jobs creation for the fiscal year 2021-22, drawing criticism.

The budget for the upcoming fiscal year aims to create less than 350,000 new jobs in 2021-22 through its employment-related schemes and plans, The Kathmandu Post reported.

Not only is the target down by half than that of the ongoing fiscal year 2020-21, but it is also far below the number of young people entering the job market every year—nearly 500,000, according to government estimates.

“For ensuring dignified employment to all the citizens, work and employment opportunities will be created in coordination and cooperation with the government, private, cooperative, and non-governmental sectors,” said Paudel.
The government’s budget, presented through an ordinance, was aimed at the midterm elections, which are still uncertain, say critics.

“Creating jobs does not seem to be the government’s priority because the budget revolves around distributive and populist schemes targeting the upcoming elections,” said Jeevan Baniya, an expert on labor migration and employment.

Baniya is also an assistant director of the Centre for the Study of Labour and Mobility at Social Science Baha, a Kathmandu-based think tank.

“The government is more interested in offering tangible schemes so that it could create a favorable environment in the view of the upcoming elections,” he said.

“Studies by the government itself have shown that around 500,00o new jobs need to be created every year to absorb new entrants. And this number might be even higher now because thousands of youths have not been able to fly abroad for foreign jobs due to the pandemic,” said Baniya.

(SAM)