Govt to rescue illegal workers abroad

KATHMANDU, Dec 22: Amid widespread criticism that the government is not doing anything to protect illegal Nepali workers abroad, the government has now decided to be more active in rescuing such workers and also help bring home the bodies of workers who die in foreign countries.



The Ministry of Finance (MoF) has recently provided Rs 10 million to the Ministry of Labor and Transport Management (MoLTM) for rescuing Nepali workers who have gone overseas for employment through illegal channels. The money will also be spent in bringing home the bodies of any undocumented workers who die abroad.[break]



"It is not true that we were completely indifferent about rescuing undocumented workers or bringing home the bodies of those killed," said Purna Chandra Bhattarai, spokesperson of the MoLTM. "We lacked resources. Our embassies would always have to divert funds from their annual budgets to rescue such workers or send their bodies back home."



With the money available now, Bhattarai said, Foreign Employment Promotion Board (FEPB) will be able to rescue such illegal workers. "This just a beginning," Sthaneshwar Devkota, executive director of the FEPB, said. "We hope the government will continue to provide money for rescuing such workers in future as well."



According to the MoLTM, 1,726,318 Nepali workers have gone overseas for foreign employment through legal channels. However, the real number of Nepali workers could be double the figure if illegal workers are taken into account, according to the MoLTM.



Every job aspirant who leaves the country for employment throug legal channel has to deposit Rs 1,000 in a welfare fund managed by the FEPB. In case the worker dies or becomes disabled in the course of work, the families back home receive certain amount of money as compensation from the fund. This fund can also be used to bring home the bodies of the workers who die abroad.



Earlier the government would find it illogical to use the fund, which runs with the contribution of legal workers, for the rescue of illegal workers.



Since the start of this fiscal year, families of 33 Nepali workers, who died overseas, mostly in the Gulf, have formally approached the FEPB to help bring the bodies of their dead home. However, the FEPB has been able to bring back only two bodies so far. Of the remaining 31 dead bodies, some are of illegal workers.

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