In an attempt to ensure safe migration for overseas-bound workers, the government has decided to introduce an integrated plan to launch grassroots level awareness campaign on foreign migration, among many other reform initiatives. 

The meeting of Central Monitoring and Evaluation Committee, comprising of the secretaries from five ministries, on Wednesday decided to make various procedural reforms at the concerned bodies to ensure accessibility of work permit, passport and other welfare benefits to the migrant workers. 

The meeting held at the Prime Minister’s Office also decided to start internal reforms at the major front line state bodies, including the Departments of Foreign Employment, Immigration, Passport and Nepali missions in migrant destinations, to ensure transparent, faster and decent service to migrant workers. 

Other major decisions include developing an online network among key stakeholders; starting electronic data keeping; revising perks and benefits for government employees at the front line office; developing a rigorous inspection and penalising mechanism to control fraud and anomalies; developing coordination among concerned ministries; and replacing the handwritten passport with the Machine Readable Passport as soon as possible.  

The committee also decided to regulate the media advertisement concerning overseas migration, make proper use of the Migrant Workers Welfare Fund and strengthen the ties with other stakeholders including the private sector. 

 Published on: 13 February 2014 | The Kathmandu Post