Kathmandu. The Foreign Employment Department has made raids on some manpower agencies after the news of those agencies demanding hefty sum and  interviewing Nepali youths for jobs in the Qatar Police came out in the media.

The government has also urged Nepali youths not to fall in any such traps offering false hopes as Nepal has not received any demand for human resource from Qatar at present.

DCNepal’s Khem Raj Thapa talked with Minister of Labor, Employment and Social Security Rameshwar Raya Yadav on several topics including the Qatar Police scam created by Nepali manpower agencies. Excerpts and the video provided below.

Manpower agencies interviewing Nepali youths for employment in Qatar Police

The Nepal government is not aware of demands for the Qatar Police. Qatar government has also not informed Nepal government. We came to know about interviews being taken without  informing the Labor Ministry and receiving the approval. The fact spilled out after we raided the offices of the suspected manpower agencies.

The formation of Qatar manpower syndicate is not true. The name of 17 manpower agencies came in the media; I was also said to be involved in the case. After the news circulated in the media, the parliamentary committee has directed the ministry to probe into the case. We were investigating the case, this issue arose. The investigation committee will prepare report and make things clear.

These manpower agencies have demanded 7-15 lakh rupees from each, telling that a new opportunity awaited for 500 youths in the Qatar Police. The unemployed youths have been told that they would receive 5-6 lakh rupees per month. Its nothing but a scam. These fraudsters will be punished. I have told my staff to investigate and find the culprits.

Government strategy to curb unemployment created by the corona crisis

The Labor Ministry and the Nepal government is very serious about the problems created by the pandemic. The government has to prepare the infrastructure; the Labor Ministry has to create opportunities. Our ministry is actively involved in implementing the Prime Minister Employment Program. Besides that, we are planning to create employment collaborating with the private sector too.

Hundreds of thousands of Nepali workers returned to Nepal from India immediately after the corona pandemic started affecting their livelihood there. The pandemic had been abrupt and we did not have any plans, so the government could not prevent them from going back to their earlier job destinations again. The nation was hit by a two edged sword. On one hand, the unemployment increased in the country on the other, the migrant workers returned home.

We suffer because of our geopolitical difficulties. Our country lacks in large scale industries and we are not able to establish new ones currently. Agriculture can also not be modernized in a short period. We are seeking short-term remedy to solve the unemployment problem created by the pandemic.

 Assessment of work carried by the ministry

The labor force of the country has been affected the most by the corona pandemic. The employers and the employees, from daily-wage workers to other monthly-based ones, all have suffered.

I am finding it difficult to implement and exercise the strategies and working plans I had devised with full energy as I joined the ministry. Some plans could not be brought to action. Half of the ministry’s human resource has already contracted the virus. Indeed, the pandemic has decreased our efficacy and disturbed our programs.

We have not given up on our hopes, although. Corona is a challenge for Nepal. The youths have come back; their arrival is an opportunity as they can turn Nepal into a prosperous nation. We are planning to turn this challenge into an opportunity.