Kathmandu, Aug 14

Necessary process has been forwarded to establish innovation centre in all seven states for overall capacity building of the youths at a time when they have been opting overseas employment in lack of employment in the country.

The federal government has forwarded the process from the National Youth Council in implementation of its policy and programme at a time when youths who are in overseas employment have started returning home due to COVID-19 global crisis. The Council has, with the collaboration of Kavre-based Kathmandu University and Namobuddha municipality, forwarded such activities including searching land in Kavre to establish centre for Bagmati state. Similarly, the innovation centre in State-1 would be set up in collaboration with Social Development Ministry of State-1 and Morang-based Madan Bhandari Memorial Foundation.

Executive Vice-Chairperson of the Council, Madhav Prasad Dhungel, said that initiative was underway to establish the centre in other states too. The federal government in its policy and the programme has mentioned to provide capital to innovative youths, other industrialists as well as skilled youths returned from overseas employment to run business and to hand over technology, and the programme would be extended in all states by restructuring the current programme in order to associate with marketization programme. The policy and programme also mentions that the educated jobless youths would be encouraged to run business related to education by providing capital on the basis of their certificate and project.

Out of the total population, there are now 40.35 per cent (10.7 million) youths in Nepal. Some 1,500 youths used to go for overseas employment every day. Nepal is in the 77th position in youth development, 130th position in education, 66th position in employment, 43rd position in terms of people’s participation and in the 179th position in politics.

There is 13 per cent youth participation in federal parliament of the country. People from 16 years to 40 years are known as youths in Nepal