Youths ‘return’ home in bodybags – more than 600 bodies in 6 months

In the first six months of the current fiscal year alone, 688 Nepalis who were employed in foreign countries have died. Rs 4.8 Million has been provided to their families for relief and compensation, according to the Department of Foreign Employment. 

During the same period, Rs 86 million was spent on managing 359 bodies of those that died in foreign employment, the department said. 

More than 25,000 people have emigrated during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the Department of Foreign Employment, 25,754 people have re-applied for labour permits from Shrawan 1 to Poush 16 of the current fiscal year.

According to the Department, 7,335 people have taken new labour permits in this period, both individually and institutionally. 410 Non-Nepalese have obtained new labour permits and 636 have been renewed.

The Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Security has stated that 1.75 lakh Nepalese have returned home in a period of six months, citing the COVID-19 Crisis Management Centre (CCMC). Although 142,807 people applied during the period, the number of Nepalese that returned home increased by 14,309 and became 157,116 according to the Ministry.

The Ministry has claimed that out of 6,896 complaints received at the Call Center run by the Ministry with the help of the Foreign Employment Board Secretariat, about 94 per cent or 6,420 complaints and grievances have been addressed.

Of the 94 complaints lodged with the Department of Foreign Employment in the last six months, 21 have been dismissed and two have been fined, according to the department.

The Department also informed that Rs. 4 Million worth fines have been paid in 26 cases registered with the Foreign Employment Tribunal.

During the last six months, 743,081 people at all 753 local levels have registered themselves as unemployed. Of them, 1,279 have found employment through the Prime Minister’s Employment Program, according to the Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Security. 

Only 647 establishments have submitted labour audit reports in the last six months. During the same period, 532 establishments have been inspected by the Department of Labor and Occupational Safety and its offices. Similarly, child labour has been inspected in 496 establishments, as informed by the Department. 

During the six-month period, 27 new labour suppliers have been registered in the Department of Labor and Occupational Safety and its subordinate offices and 181 labour suppliers have been renewed.

Out of 507 complaints related to labour, 249 have been resolved and 308 are in the process, said the Department. Five people have been killed and four others injured in 11 industrial accidents in the last six months. Three of the injured are undergoing treatment.

Under the contribution-based social security scheme, 13,018 establishments have been registered in the social security fund in a period of six months. It is stated that 182,394 people have joined the labour fund and are listed through these establishments.

Of the Rs 34 Arab 23 Crore 90 Lakhs deposited in the fund during this period, 1,064 people have claimed more than Rs 23 Crores.