Employment is of immense significance in the economic development of any country, for it is self-reinforcing to an utmost degree. When people get jobs their consumption basket widens, propelling demand as well as production, which in turn generates more jobs for unemployed youths and revenue for the government. So, in any given economy, particularly in the advanced ones, the success of the political leadership is gauged by how many additional jobs it was able to create in a specific time period. 

However, in an economy like ours, where vital employment statistics are spurious, employment has not yet found a place in the priority list of policy makers. In short, the government puts in all possible effort in promoting foreign employment, but pays little attention to boosting employment at home. 

But all that seems to be changing gradually, as the government is opening at least 14 labor information centers across the country to help unemployed youths find suitable work. Given that Nepal seriously lacks basic information about the unemployed and their status, the labor information centers will be crucial in creating a database on such people. The database, if managed properly, will serve both employers and employees. 

It could be a good source of information for employers in hunting for manpower as per their needs, while for the job seekers it can act as an important source of information on available job vacancies. Not only that, it can provide prospective foreign investors a vital picture of the status of Nepal’s labor force and also prove to be a solid resource for the government in formulating any youth-focused program. 
So, we consider it a good move in a country where only 10 percent of some 400,000 fresh individuals who enter the labor market every year get jobs within the country, leaving no choice for the rest but to seek work abroad. As a result, foreign employment that has started absorbing more than 1,000 youths a day, has now turned into a major choice for the lower middle-class and lower-class sections of Nepali youth. 

And, undoubtedly, foreign employment has brought many good things. But it is a basic responsibility of the state to create employment opportunities for those who, for one reason or other, wish to avoid working abroad. One unforgettable fact is that once we put our economy on the path of sustained development after the completion of the peace process and constitution writing, we will need a huge youth force to ignite a fresh impulse for industrialization and infrastructure development. We believe the upcoming labor information centers will play a crucial role in lining up the needed workforce for that endeavour.

Editorial

Published on: 5 January 2012 | Republica