Minimum Wage and Right to Employment
Recently, the Government of Nepal (GoN) has revised the minimum wage from Rs. 668 to Rs. 754 per day of employment. This increment has both positive and negative results. On the positive side, this increment will increase the purchasing capacity of those who are employed. On the negative side, this will limit ensuring the right to Employment of those seeking employment.
Employment is a fundamental human right. The Constitution of Nepal 2015 ensures that every national has a right to employment. The Right to Employment Act 2018 was enacted to implement the fundamental human right.
The Ministry of Labour, Employement and Social Security (MoLESS) implemented the Prime Minister Employment Programme (PMEP) from the Fiscal Year 2075/76 (2018/19) to FY 2081/82 (2024/25). The GoN planned to provide one hundred days of temporary employment to the prioritised unemployed persons who were registered at the local level. The government issued the registration and prioritisation guidelines to streamline registration and prioritisation among registered unemployed for temporary employment.