Poverty and unemployment are the contributing factors causing this outflow. Mostly, people from Karnali and hill districts of the mid-western region go to India for work annually. Women and people from all age group ranging from school children to elderly people head for India in search of better employment opportunity. 

 

Netra Bahadur Sunar (55), a local from Melkuna Surkhet, said he could not feed his family if he did not go to India for employment. Netra Bahadur, who was heading for India along with a dozen villagers, including six women, said, “We have left our children at home and are going to India to earn for them.” 

 

Dal Bahadur Oli (60), local of Bhalachaur Salyan, who as at Rupaidiya border along with 14 others, informed he had started going India when he was 14 , adding,” I had gone to Shimla the first time. Since then, I have been going to India to earn every year.” He lamented that it was difficult for people in his area to run their households if they did not go to India for work. Oli said that Nepalis generally go to Shimla, Gujarat, and Mumbai, among other places of India in search of employment. 

 

Prem Bahadur Gharti from Sibarat Salyan, who was with other 10 people, Nepalis were compelled to go to India for employment due to poverty, adding, “Had we employment opportunity in the country itself, we would not go to India. Even school children are compelled to go to India for work.” 

 

Most people from the hill districts of the mid-western region go to India after the festival season every year and return home with the onset of the rainy season for cultivation. 

 

Mahendra Rana, SI, Jamunaha, at the border based police post, said about 1,500 Nepalis go to India for employment via the entry point daily. “Sometimes the number exceeds 2,000.” Rana said that normally they go to India in a group of 10 to 15 people.