E-Kantipur

KATHMANDU, NOV 03 -

The National Planning Commission (NPC) on Wednesday approved the first draft of the Employment Guarantee Act that seeks to provide a legal employment guarantee for the poor for a specific time period.

With the approval of the first draft, the Act is likely to be implemented within the next fiscal year. The draft has been forwarded to the Ministry of Finance (MoF) that is liable to implement the programme. According to NPC, once the Finance Ministry and Law Ministry endorse the draft after theoretical discussions, the Act will be tabled in the parliament.

Inspired by India’s job guarantee scheme—-the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, the government had initiated drafting the Act.

The government had formed a committee to draft a proposal of the Act in coordination of Dhruba Dahal, joint secretary at NPC a few months ago. The committee had representations from the Ministry of Industry (MoI), Ministry of Labour and Transport Management, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs and private sector bodies.

Dahal said the draft Act proposes the government to guarantee job as a critical part of the socio-economic security and fundamental rights of the citizens. The draft promises a minimum of 100 days of job per year to at least a member of poor families.

“We have already given the draft the final shape after holding talks with stakeholders, including ministries and private sector bodies,” said Dahal.

The draft committee had also held discussions with the private sector to establish a formal tie so that such jobs could be provided in the industrial sector too.

“If enacted, at least a member of families living below the poverty line will enjoy a job, fetching income equivalent to minimum wage fixed by the government,” said an NPC official, adding that such jobs will be provided in sectors like construction, infrastructure, industries and other development projects“

“The proposed Act also says that in case the state fails to provide jobs, the government will pay unemployment allowance to those families,” said Purna Chandra Bhattarai, spokesperson for MoLTM. The draft has recommended a compensation of 50 to 60 percent of the fixed wage.

Some officials at NPC and MoLTM, however, said implementation of the Act will be challenging, particularly as the government does not have categorical record of poor households.

The committee, however, has suggested that the government issue cards to beneficiary households. In order to ensure the programme’s effectiveness, the draft Act asks local bodies to hold public hearings every four months to dig out public grievances and anomalies in the society.

“Committees headed by VDC and DDC chairmen will be put in place to monitor and regulate the programme at the local level. A committee under the leadership of NPC vice chairman will monitor it at the national level,” said Bhattarai.

Posted on: 2011-11-03 09:41

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