Rural municipality launches 'one home, one employment' campaign

370 people to be provided with training for 18 different jobs

PARBAT, May 9: After months of waiting, Mahashila Rural Municipality has finally kicked off its 'one home, one employment' campaign by starting skill-generating training from Tuesday for 370 youths who had filled application for various jobs.

Though the rural municipality had announced to provide employment to 600 youths this fiscal year, only 370 have applied for the posts so far. After providing training for one month, these youths will be mobilized to various working stations, according to Raju Prasad Poudel, chairperson of the rural municipality.

This campaign was inaugurated by minister for industry, tourism and forest of Province 4, Bikash Lamsal. Speaking at the programMinister Lamsal expressed his hope that this campaign will help bring back the youths who have left the country for foreign lands in search of jobs. The rural municipality had made an announcement to provide job to one member of each family who don't have any kind of jobs.

"Those interested can still fill the application," said Chairperson Poudel. Though there are 2,200 households in the rural municipality, only 2,000 families are living there at the moment. It is believed that around 1000 families are struggling with unemployment.

The rural municipality has started providing training on plumbing, accounting, banking, forest management, teaching, health services, masonry as well as cardamom and tea farming. Jiwan Bikram Uchai, spokesperson of the rural municipality, informed that youths will be provided trainings in 18 different fields. After the completion of the training, these youths will have to work for 15 days a month. Not just that, the rural municipality will provide Rs 3,000 per month and Rs 25 per day for lunch for those attending the training sessions.

In addition to that, these employees will also have a health insurance worth Rs 500,000 from next fiscal year. Anyone above 18 and below 55 years of age can apply for the jobs. This fiscal year, the rural municipality will be spending a total budget of Rs 9.5 million for the campaign. A separate development co-operative will be established for the sustainability of this employment campaign. After working for 15 days a month, the employee will receive a monthly salary of Rs 6,000. As per the speculation of the rural municipality, a yearly budget of more than Rs 250 million is required for the salaries, insurance, uniforms, construction materials and other arrangements of these employees.

Until now, Mahashila Rural Municipality is considered as one of the poorest local units of the district. So, the locals have high expectations from this campaign.