Nepal will graduate to developing country soon: PM Oli

Kathmandu, Nov. 26: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has stressed the need of advancing social security scheme with coordination, collaboration and cooperation among the three tier governments.

Addressing a programme organized by the Social Security Fund on the occasion of the Third Social Security Day today, PM Oli said government was committed to forward the broader concept of social security and its effective implementation.

“Nepal’s constitution itself has the provision of protecting people facing poverty, paucity and helplessness. The social security scheme was brought to implementation in line with constitutional provision,” PM Oli reminded, adding that government has been providing guardianship to children who lost guardians.

The PM further mentioned, “There are no street children nor the helpless people as in the past. Government is working to civilize the human society. The workers in the informal sectors will also be included in the security ambit.”

According to the PM, Nepal was heading to its goal of being graduated to the status of developing country from the least developed country. “It is imperative for us to implement the related aspects to make Nepal known as sustainable state. In this regard, we achieved 14 standards since last year. We’re in a way to achieve the remaining score. We’re ahead in terms of development,” he stressed.

Saying enough attention has been paid to gain labour-related goal of the Sustainable Development Goals, Prime Minister Oli shared that the plan has been forwarded for the operation, growth and scope of social security fund, number of participation, strengthening and development of the fund in order to meet the set goals and outcome.

There are 17 main goals and 169 outcomes related to SDGs. The eight number point of the main goal has mentioned about the arrangement provision related to labour, social security and worker’s right.

Recalling that social security concept was introduced by distributing senior citizen allowance during its nine-month tenure of the CPN (UML) government, he opined that a new concept of social security based on contribution was initiated thinking every citizen should be aware and should contribute in terms of social security.

Similarly, Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security, Rameshwor Raya, expressed commitment to incorporate unorganized and self-employed workers under social security sector

Minister Raya stressed that the Fund should be focused to mobilize the long-term capital of the Fund in infrastructure development sector for the welfare of contributors.

Chairperson of the Fund’s Board Committee and Secretary of the Labour Ministry, Toyam Raya, said that the problems to be surfaced in course of implementing the social security plan would be resolved.

Chairperson of the Fund Board of Directors Pushkar Acharya, also President of the Nepal Trade Union Congress demanded accommodation of workers in the organised and self-employed sector in the plan while expanding the scope of social security and correction in unemployment insurance plan that has not been accommodated by the security work procedure as per the social security act. He also stressed the need for the government, employers and Trade Union to launch awareness programmes for social security.

Member of the Fund Board of Directors Sirjana Rana, also President of the Hotel Association Nepal, said private sector was moving ahead to make social security successful. Executive Director of the Fund Kapil Mani Gyawali said efforts were on to hear complaints of contributors after amending the plan operation procedure while focusing on principle of social security, insurance consultation and some practical aspects.

As of Wednesday, 12,915 employers and 179,791 contributors have been affiliated with the Fund. So far, contribution funds worth Rs 3.1 billion has been collected and the Fund has released claim payments worth over Rs 14 million. RSS