Nepal to offer subsidy to make workers stay

The Nepal government has introduced an incentive package for agriculture enterprises and animal husbandry in a bid to restrict the soaring number of youths leaving the country for foreign jobs.

Nepal's ministry of agriculture development introduced a guideline, according to which youths willing to start commercial farming or cattle rearing would be offered a subsidy of Nepali Rs.40,000 to 400,000, according to the officials.

"As per the guideline that came to effect from last Friday, youths looking to engage in commercial agriculture and animal husbandry like vegetable production and fish farming will receive such grant from our ministry," Tek Prashad Luitel, a senior official of the ministry, told Xinhua Wednesday.

He said, according to the guideline, an individual will be provided subsidy worth Nepali Rs.40,000 to 60,000 and a group would be offered grants worth Nepali Rs.200,000 to 400,000.

The government had announced this subsidy programme in its annual budget for the current fiscal year. Currently 1,500 youths leave the country every day in search of foreign jobs.

Though agriculture is the greatest contributor to Nepal's gross domestic product, the sector has been neglected by the youths who are rather willing to work under adverse environment abroad.

Luitel said the ministry would provide up to 50 percent of the fund to the youths during the initiation of their businesses while the rest would be offered on instalment basis upon review of the success of the project.

According to the ministry, 25 districts recording higher vegetable production and other 47 districts having greater contribution in fish farming have been prioritised for the package.