Prime Minister Employment Programme: 76 % of registered workers remain jobless

By Tilachan Pandey,Tamghas, Dec. 15: The Prime Minister Employment Programme, launched to provide a minimum of 100 days of employment, is in a dire state.

In Gulmi, over four fiscal years since 2019/20, 41,073 people applied for jobs through the programme. 

However, only 9,724 individuals received 100 days of employment, according to data from local governents.

The statistics reveal that 76.33 per cent, or 31,349 of the applicants, have not received any work despite getting registered for the programme. 

The programme has faced criticism for selecting applicants based on political affiliations, being influenced by political interference, and being implemented in unproductive areas at the discretion of local representatives.

Gulmi district has 12 local governments, comprising two municipalities and 10 rural municipalities.

In Resunga Municipality, 3,451 individuals registered as unemployed, but only 590 received 100 days of employment. Similarly, in Musikot Municipality, 2,505 people registered, and 833 were employed.

In Dhurkot Rural Municipality, out of 5,571 registered applicants, only 1,408 received employment. In Gulmidurbar Rural Municipality, 2,611 people registered, but just 620 found the jobs. Likewise, in Madane Rural Municipality, only 857 individuals out of 5,256 received employment.

Similarly, in Malika Rural Municipality, 6,219 people registered for the programme, of which only 964 gained employment. In Rurukshetra Rural Municipality, 2,746 people registered, with only 770 employed. 

In Satyawati Rural Municipality, 3,497 registered for the programme, but just 912 were employed.

In Chandrakot Rural Municipality, 2,057 people registered, and only 505 found jobs under the programme. 

Similarly, in Chhatrakot Rural Municipality, 3,171 individuals registered, but only 852 received employment.

In Kaligandaki Rural Municipality, 1,436 people registered, but just 455 were employed. 

In Isma Rural Municipality, 2,553 people applied for the programme, of which 958 secured employment.

Programme ineffective, say civil society members 

Chairperson of Gulmi Civil Society, Padam Prasad Pandey, criticised the programme for being ineffective. 

He remarked that much of the allocated budget was wasted on tasks such as weeding roadsides and other unproductive activities.

“If the programme was properly planned and implemented in productive sectors like agriculture, it could benefit the state and create more employment opportunities,” Pandey said.

Over the past four years, a total of Rs. 499.3 million was spent under the programme in the 12 local governments of Gulmi.  Of this, Rs. 422.3 million was spent on workers’ wages, Rs. 72.8 million on employment unit staff salaries, and Rs. 4.1 million on material purchases, according to the local governments.