The Rastriya Swatantra Party has announced a plan to create 1.2 million new jobs within five years, aiming to reduce forced migration. According to a study by the Anthropology Department of Tribhuvan University, 35 ethnic groups face a lack of daily 24-hour work and irregular employment. The government, through the fiscal year 2078/084 policy and program, intends to promote employment by revising industrial policies and implementing remote work policies. Before the recent general election, the Rastriya Swatantra Party released a one-page Citizens’ Charter divided into three parts: priorities, current status, and goals. The third point under priorities is titled “Work, Work, Work.” The current status highlights “informal, low-wage jobs and high unemployment; daily migration of over 3,300 youths,” while the goal is to reduce forced migration and create 1.2 million formal, respected, safe, and inclusive new jobs. Priority sectors include IT, construction, tourism, agriculture, minerals, industry, and service trade. The charter states, “Should you grant us a clear majority and we fail to deliver the charter’s commitments within five years, we will face consequences in the upcoming elections.”
In 2022, the Anthropology Department of Tribhuvan University, in collaboration with the East-West Center in Hawaii and Purdue University (USA), conducted an extensive study titled “How do 35 ethnic groups of Nepal allocate their 24 hours?” The research, called “State of Social Inclusion: A Study of Time Allocation,” was an advanced version of a 2012 study on social inclusion in Nepal. Selected ethnic groups from various economic and social strata of Bagmati and Madhesh provinces were included, comprising groups such as Brahmins, Newars, Gurungs, Tamangs, and Musahars from the Himalayas to the Terai-Madhesh regions. The project encompassed interviews, thematic discussions, and daily activity data collection among individuals in seven Madhesh villages from diverse ethnic backgrounds, also analyzing monthly, quarterly, and annual conditions.
Readers can clearly see from this data that the lack of daily work is pervasive. At the local level, farmers engage in work such as wage labor or sharecropping for limited hours, yet these jobs tend to be irregular and seasonal. The condition in Musahar settlements was particularly striking, with many individuals experiencing a lack of regular employment and spending extended periods unemployed. The demand for the government to provide adequate employment was commonly heard. These circumstances highlight the need to increase working opportunities both in rural and urban areas. The Rastriya Swatantra Party’s plan to create 1.2 million new jobs over five years equates to approximately 240,000 jobs annually. Every year, approximately 500,000 workers enter the labor market nationwide, but not all secure employment. Daily, 3,300 youths migrate abroad, totaling roughly 1.1 million annually. These figures reveal a significant gap between labor market demand and supply in Nepal.
The government will face the challenge of expanding the labor market and assessing whether the jobs created will effectively control inflation. Relying solely on public employment cannot meet full demand, making broad private sector cooperation essential. The government must improve management to retain educated youths within the country. Providing degree-appropriate jobs for educated youth remains a challenge. Urban-centered job opportunities have led to resource concentration in cities and depopulation of villages. Due to unbalanced development, villages have slowed down. To redistribute and balance the population, it is necessary to design policies and programs that generate village-centered employment. This approach could reduce urban congestion while revitalizing rural areas. If basic services and opportunities expand in villages, people may prefer to remain there, reducing unnecessary migration to cities.
The government recently formulated a strategy to address the issues of legal landlords and squatters, which may positively impact social harmony. Communities including Musahars, Kayasths, and Muskans anticipate concrete government initiatives to secure homes and employment. Domestic job creation should be pursued as an alternative to foreign employment to encourage youth to stay in their villages. Inspired by China’s population redistribution policy—transferring residents from the eastern coastal region to western areas with significant investment in roads, transportation, electricity, education, health, and agriculture, thereby motivating youth participation—Nepal requires similar programs to promote rural entrepreneurship through dedicated policy, planning, and investment.
Although start-up business development is still in its early stages nationally, significant variations exist in policies and programs. The government’s role is crucial in ensuring necessary support to both qualified and aspiring entrepreneurs. The policies and programs presented for fiscal year 2078/084 prioritize employment-related issues, including industrial policy revision, establishing a national enterprise promotion facility, preparing new employment policies, skills development, social security, and integrating employment service systems. The government will legally regulate remote work and certify the skills of returning youth at an international level. Declaring this decade as the Employment Promotion Decade, plans have been made to transform cities along the Mid-Hill Highway into new economic hubs.
In conclusion, the Rastriya Swatantra Party’s announcement to create 1.2 million jobs over five years, while ambitious at first glance, appears modest compared to Nepal’s extensive employment demands. Today’s youth are leaving the country daily in search of jobs. In such a context, employment expansion across all dimensions is essential. Since employment stimulates further job creation, the government faces pressure to transform its promises into reality. Leadership by a unique government, a young prime minister, and a reputed economist minister is expected to positively influence the upcoming budget and implementation. Following budget presentation, specialized structures will be established, and clear implementation roadmaps defined as per policy programs. The remote work policy has garnered special interest, and success will be evaluated based on government progress in developing skilled human resources. The government has significant work ahead aligned with actual employment needs and must fulfill promises while respecting public opinion.
