According to conservative estimates, over 3.5 million Nepalis are working in different sectors in the southern neighbor and are deprived of their professional rights and benefits.
Raising serious concern over the issue, lawmakers have asked the government to incorporate the issues of Nepalis residing in India under the plans aimed at safeguarding the rights and welfare of migrant workers.
“India is the largest destination for Nepali workers who are from poor financial background. But surprisingly, the government is concerned only on the plights of overseas workers,” Constituent Assembly member Hari Roka said at the meeting of the Finance and Labor Relation Committee of legislature parliament on Tuesday. “Are the Nepali workers in India not our people?” Roka questioned.
The meeting was called to seek clarification from Baburam Acharya, secretary at the Ministry of Labor and Transport Management (MoLTM), on different problems seen in foreign employment and transportation sector.
Roka also expressed his dissatisfaction over the apathy shown by the Nepali embassy in India on the plights of Nepali workers who are not only exploited at workplaces but are also targeted by robbers and thugs while traveling to and from India.
Commenting on rising traffic congestion in the Valley and other major cities, Roka suggested the government to limit registration of new vehicles and end syndicate system that is a major problem in the public transportation sector.
Dr Ram Sharan Manaht of Nepali Congress stressed the need to effectively enforce emission testing system and control increasing number of vehicles to end traffic congestion and control pollution.
Other lawmakers Nirmala Prasai, Arjun Rai and Bimal Kedia demanded the government to come up with special plans to cope with the rising unemployment, worsening labor relation and increasing insecurity of Nepali workers in overseas markets.
Responding to the lawmakers, secretary Acharya expressed dissatisfaction over the lack of cooperation from line ministries in implementing plans to effectively enforce transport management system.
“Though we had proposed the government to set up the Labor Tribunal to speed of settlement of fraudulent cases in foreign employment, it has yet to materialize,” Acharya said.
He said effective traffic management is not possible in the absence of close coordination among Ministry of Home, Ministry of Physical Planning and Works and MoLTM in effectively enforcing existing law.
He also suggested promoting public transport system to control pollution and lessen traffic congestion in the capital.
Minister for Labor and Transport Management Mohamad Aftab Alam assured the lawmakers that the ministry was taking effective measures to systemize foreign employment and transport sector so as to bring an end to problems plaguing both the sectors.
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