Various literary, sports and business personalities and organisations have been honoured on the occasion of the 14th International Youth Day-2013 on Monday, state-owned news agency RSS reports.
Chairman of the Council of Ministers Khil Raj Regmi honoured them amidst a special ceremony here today.
Youth Talent Award carrying a purse of Rs. 100,000 has been presented to litterateur Jhamak Kumari Ghimire (Dhankuta), social worker Radha Poudel (Chitwan), tourist guide and Gorkhapatra Daily’s journalist Sanjog Acharya and Dev Prakash Sapkota (advanced agro entrepreneur).
Similarly, the National Youth Fund, Babarmahal received a letter of appreciation and cash prize of Rs. 100,000.
Likewise, cricketer Paras Khadka, Sunil Lama of karate, Jamuna Gurung of football, Chahana Bamjan of Wushu and Nepal Volleyball Association have been awarded the Sports Talent Award that carries a purse of Rs. 100,000 each.
Addressing the programme, Chairman Regmi said skilled young generation is forced to leave the country due to lack of employment opportunities for them at home. Besides, the government has failed to systematize the migration, he added.
Urging youths to develop the feeling of nationality within themselves, and to think what was their contribution to the state rather than expecting more from it, Chairman Regmi said Nepali workers are being looted, exploited, underpaid and are forced to face unnatural death abroad.
Remittance is only a temporary source of income for the country, he said, adding the government was committed to creating employment opportunities in the country itself.
He argued that Nepali workers should take skill-enhancement training before going for abroad jobs. Fertile land in rural parts of the country remains barren due to rampant migration of youths to foreign lands, he added.
He called for support from one and all to systematize internal and external migration, a challenging task of the government.
The upcoming Constituent Assembly election is the main target of my government, said Chairman Regmi and urged one and all to extend support from their respective capacities to make the election successful.
Also speaking at the programme, Minister for Labour and Employment Hari Prasad Neupane said today’s young generation has got attracted to foreign jobs and the government was effortful to make it more secure and systematic.
Minister for Youth and Sports Ram Kumar Shrestha said the government was committed to providing jobs to youths within the country, and recalled the formulation of National Youth Policy, implementation of Youth Programmes and formation of Youth Self Employment Fund.
Establishing the National Youth Council is the challenge of the hour for the government being an election government, he added.
Nepal has been celebrating the International Youth Day since 2004 at the call of the United Nations.
