Employment Guarantee Act tabled

KATHMANDU, MAY 07 -

The government has tabled the Employment Guarantee Act (EGA), which seeks to provide legal employment guarantee for the people living below the poverty line for a specific period, at the parliament.

The Cabinet had approved the bill two weeks ago.

National Planning Commission (NPC) Vice Chairman Deependra Kshetri said the act will be implemented from next fiscal year after the parliament’s endorsement.

Inspired by India’s job guarantee scheme — the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act — the government had asked NPC to initiate the drafting of the Act nine months ago.

The government had formed a committee under Dhruba Dahal, joint secretary at NPC, to draft the proposal of the Act.

The draft promises a minimum of 100 days of job per year to at least a member of poor families.

The draft committee had also held discussions with the private sector on providing such jobs in the industrial sector too.

“Once the Act comes into implementation, at least a member of families living below the poverty line will have a job, fetching income equivalent to the minimum wage fixed by the government,” said Kshetry. “Such jobs will be provided in sectors like construction, infrastructure, industries and other development projects.”

As per the Act, if government fails to provide the promised jobs, the government should pay unemployment allowance the families concerned. “The unemployment allowance shall be a compensation amounting 50-60 percent of the fixed wage,” according to the bill.

The draft Act, however, does not say who will implement it.

Source: Kantipur