By Nabin Shishir BK

Baglung, Jan. 22:

Buddhikala BK's life in Bareng Rural Municipality-2 in Baglung is not only limited to the household chores. She has been employed as labour in the construction of a road in her neighbourhood.

After the Prime Minister Self-Employment programme was introduced in the village, BK's lifestyle, which was confined within the four walls of her house, has changed and she has now become a contributor for development and construction in her village.

She has also taken leadership of construction development in her area under the position of Chairman of consumers' committee for the construction of a pathway from Sudala, Panipari to Maidana.

"Earlier, the household chores used to keep me busy. After the Prime Minister Employment Programme was introduced, along with having an income source, I also got an opportunity to take leadership in development works," said BK adding that having an opportunity to contribute for the development works in her village gave her immense happiness.

She informed that six women were working together for the construction of the pathway.

"Only women are involved in the construction," said BK "We identify, destruct and lift the rocks required for the construction by ourselves."

She added that the payment of wage for women labours was not as high as that of men in the village. "A discriminatory payment scheme exists in the village. We used to earn Rs. 250 per day while we labour on the farms. Here, the wage is much higher and equal to that of men."

BK said that equal wages for both men and women had encouraged women to participate in developmental works.

Likewise, Kamala Sharma of Hugdishir is also busy nowadays in construction works. She doesn’t even have spare time to bask in the sun for a while after completing her chores as she has been deployed in the construction of drainage aside the roads.

Prime Minister self-employment programme has provided employment opportunity to 100 villagers, who earn Rs. 517 every day by working from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Keshab Raj Chhetri, employment coordinator of the Rural Municipality said, "We have provided employment to those who had been listed in unemployed list for the construction of 16 projects within the Rural Municipality."

Of the 1,354 unemployed population in the area, 100 have received employment in the first phase. In the second phase, 200 more people will be getting jobs.

The Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration has also arranged for group accident insurance for all the labours.

The participation of women in each project is higher than men. Krishna Prasad Sharma, Chairman of the Rural Municipality informed that grant of Rs. 5.1 million was provided to the Rural Municipality for the self-employment programme. "Rs. 10 million grant is to be provided for the second phase of the programme," he added.