Youths And Nation

Representing Nepal and leading a delegation, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is currently in the United States to attend the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Speaking at a meeting, Prime Minister Oli has urged the Nepali youths living abroad to return home and contribute to the development and prosperity of the country. PM Oli openly appealed to the youths while he was speaking at the World Leaders Forum organised by Columbia University on Monday. As the keynote speaker on ‘Nepal’s Journey of Democracy and Economic Development’, the Prime Minister stated that the national aspiration of 'Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali' has been put forward to eradicate poverty and ensure the right of all Nepalis to live with prosperity, happiness and dignity.    

The statistics of the Department of Foreign Employment shows that the number of people going abroad with work permits for foreign employment in the fiscal year 2022/23 is more than 771,000. Nepali labour force who have gone to India and other countries to work in informal and insecure job market is likely to be double this figure. In 2023, more than 800,000 youths left the country in search of employment. In the same year, over 100,000 youths left the nation with study permits.

It is said that more than 6 million Nepalis have gone abroad in search of employment and job opportunities. Emigration from Nepal in search of jobs and opportunities is not a new phenomenon. Nepali citizens have been migrating abroad for centuries. However, the increasing graph of massive brain drain is the biggest problem for the country. The emigration of educated and skilled youths is having a chilling effect on our national economy. There is a huge shortage of skilled workers in hotel businesses, hydropower sector, small businesses and other entrepreneurships. Local production is in decline. 

What's more, hundreds of thousands of hectares of agricultural lands are only partially cultivated. A lot of fertile lands have remained barren and empty in the absence of able hands to till them. In spite of the rich potential of agriculture, hydropower, forests, and tourism sectors, the country is far from realizing it. The fallout is acutely felt in education and health sectors as well. Due to the exodus, there is a stark shortage of skilled and educated teachers as well as health professionals in hospitals and educational institutions. 

In order to reverse this scenario, the government should focus its due attention on creating job opportunities within the country. The current coalition government of the major two parties - Nepali Congress and CPN-UML- has raised hope of giving a dose of momentum to suggish economic activities as a result of lingering effect of COV|ID-19 pandemic and the ripple effect of the Russia-Ukraine war. The government has brought out several programmes such as small scale industries and startups for employment opportunities targeting the youths. But more needs to be done in this sector to retain youths and make them return from abroad, too. 

It is not possible for the country to survive in an open and competitive market without massively investing in manufacturing and service sectors that are our inherent strengths. Therefore, investments in sectors like tourism, water resources, agriculture, Himalayan herbs, coffee and cheese, among others, can be fruitful and result-oriented. It will generate employment opportunities and check youth migration and raise production for export. The twin goal of development and prosperity comes closer should the government work hard with the skilled and talented youths.