ARGHAKHANCHI, June 21: Over the past three years, as many as 47 people from Arghakhanchi who had gone abroad for employment have tragically lost their lives.
According to data from the Safer Migration (SaMi) project, which collaborates with the Ministry of Labor, Employment, and Social Security, these fatalities include nine deaths this year alone. Additionally, 74 people have suffered serious illnesses or disabilities. By mid-June this year, 18 more people encountered serious health issues.
Zia ul Haq, the SaMi Coordinator for Lumbini Province, disclosed that out of 55,213 Arghakhanchi residents who pursued foreign employment, 47 perished and 74 faced disability or severe illness in the last three years
Haq said that these figures pertain specifically to individuals who obtained labor approvals for foreign employment. Haq added that statistics might differ for those who migrate illegally or on tourist or student visas.
In the fiscal year 2022/23, as many as 9,526 people from Arghakhanchi sought employment abroad. By mid-June of the current fiscal year, 8,175 individuals have already departed for foreign employment, as reported by Ambika Belbase, SaMi's facilitator in Arghakhanchi. Among these, 633 are women, constituting 8 percent of the total.
Arghakhanchi has also recorded 10 cases of fraudulent practices in foreign employment. Chief District Officer Surya Bahadur Khatri mentioned that the victims have received Rs 1.46 million in compensation from the perpetrators.
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93 percent in Gulf countries
Nationally, a significant migration trend is observed, with the Department of Foreign Employment reporting 7,720,708 work permits issued since mid-May of fiscal year 2006/07.
In the latest fiscal year 2022/23, as many as 771,327 people embarked on foreign employment, marking the highest yearly number in the past 17 years. By mid-June of the current fiscal year, 609,699 people have departed for foreign employment.
Of the total migrant population, 93 percent have chosen Malaysia and Gulf countries. The remaining seven percent are distributed across nations like Japan, Bahrain, Korea, and Croatia. Nepali migrant workers play a crucial role in sustaining the country's economy through remittances, a major source of foreign currency reserves.
Where is the remittance going?
The destination of remittances is a topic of interest. Most remittances are reported to be spent on daily essentials, as per recent data.
The National Statistics Office reveals that 72.40 percent of remittances are used for daily household expenses. Additionally, 15.8 percent is allocated to debt repayment, 4.6 percent to education, and 1.9 percent to real estate investments.
The savings rate for future needs is currently only 1.9 percent. While 56 percent of households across the country receive remittances, a higher proportion, 89.6 percent, benefit from remittances in Lumbini Province.
