BAITADI, April 15: During the local elections held last year, the candidates in Baitadi district had made various promises, including a promise for employment opportunities at the local level. However, the elected representatives have largely failed to fulfill their promise, forcing many youths to opt for foreign employment due to the lack of opportunities locally.
The outflow of local labor to neighboring India and Gulf countries is increasing everyday.
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“We elected our leaders because they promised us employment opportunities locally,” said Ratan Singh Bohora of Sigas Rural Municipality-6. “But look at us! We are forced to toil hard in India as daily wage laborers,” he added.
The situation is so dire that the locals do not get even menial labor jobs in the villages. For that reason, migration has been their only means of survival despite their hope for change in the situation after the local elections. They go abroad for employment during off-season of farming and return home in the farming season.
In many local units of the district, infrastructure development works such as road construction is currently underway. However, locals complained that the contractors are mostly relying on dozers and excavators for the works, depriving the locals of job opportunities.
A few years ago, only big contractors used to have dozers and excavators for road construction. However, the increased use of excavators and dozers has taken away even the small employment sources from the locals.
“Nobody wants to leave the village,” said Prem Singh Dhami of Purchaudi Municipality-3. “But what choice do we have? We have to migrate for survival due to the lack of employment opportunities locally.”
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