Let us start to ensure rights and interests of workers, PM Dahal says

Kathmandu, May 1: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has said that social justice and prosperity will not be possible in the country unless the rights and interests of the working class are ensured.

Addressing a programme organized by the Joint Trade Union Coordination Centre (JTUCC) today on the occasion of the 135th International Workers’ Day, Prime Minister Dahal said that all sides should work together to ensure the rights and interests of the workers.

“To ensure the rights and interests of workers, all sides should be effortful,” he stressed. 

The interests of the workers have been guaranteed in the Constitution by assimilating this reality,” the PM said, adding, “Implementing the constitutional provision in practice is our main task at present.”

 Stating that the government is committed to labour rights and the International Labour Organization’s statutes and conventions ratified by Nepal, he assured that sufficient employment opportunities will be provided in the country to prevent the migration of young and intellectual manpower.

“The government is constantly working to use the knowledge, skills and energy of the youth for the development of the country. Foreign employment, which is an important means of employment, should be made more secure, orderly and just until there are sufficient opportunities for employment in the country,” Prime Minister Dahal said.

 “The government is focusing on protecting the interests of the workers and implementing a contribution-based social security programme for Nepali, government, semi-government and social workers working abroad. It is being operated and implemented effectively.”

Noting that the foundations of the contribution-based social security system have been laid, Prime Minister Dahal said that social justice is the most important basis for the implementation of the socialist-oriented constitution as stipulated in the constitution.

Mentioning that the social security programme is an important basis for the implementation of social justice, he said that the programme is a matter of pride for the entire people who aspire to establish a socialist state.

Prime Minister Dahal said that in view of the fact that lakhs of workers have already joined the social security fund, the process of including all the Nepali and informal sector workers abroad in this programme is progressing.

In order to achieve the national goal of ‘social security for all’, he said that the social security of the labourers going for foreign employment has been ensured under their own guidance and initiative, he said that the partial challenges seen in the implementation of this programme will be addressed through collective efforts.