GULMI, June 2: Dhurkot Rural Municipality of Gulmi has started providing employment opportunities to the locals under the Prime Minister Employment Program (PMEP).
The local unit inaugurated the program by providing temporary employment to 150 people. Bhupal Pokharel, chairperson of Dhurkot, informed Republica that the program was inaugurated on Friday. "We will deploy all these people in various activities which will help them earn a living at least for a month," said Chairperson Pokharel. Reportedly, 13 of them will be mobilized in the educational sector, four in the health sector, 15 in agriculture and animal husbandry, 15 for irrigation and canal repairing, seven in electrical repairing and 81 for road repairs and maintenance.
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This has widely elated the locals. Ram Prasad Koirala who had filled the form after being tired of wandering unemployed said, "I am extremely happy." After returning from India, Koirala was unable to find any job in his home country. Finally, through this program, he will be able to earn Rs 15,510 per month.
Similarly, Rina Basnet of the same village expressed her gratefulness toward the local unit for providing such an opportunity to people like her. "We will make the most of this opportunity," she said. She will also earn Rs 15,510 per month. Shiva Bahadur Khatri, vice-chairperson of Dhurkot, says unemployment is a major problem in the local unit. "We feel proud that we have been able to provide a month of employment to at least 150 people," said Khatri.
He further informed Republica that the local unit will also provide the equipment and tools required by the locals to perform their new jobs. The rural municipality is planning to provide employment to more people in the upcoming fiscal year. Especially, unemployed, single women, and destitute people have been prioritized by this program. A total of 1,200 people of Dhurkot had registered their names, seeking employment under the PMEP.
The government has allocated a budget of more than Rs 5 billion for PMEP. Earlier, Musikot Municipality had provided employment to 90 youths under the PMEP. Many other local units of Gulmi are preparing to implement this program.