Thanks to Hemlata Rai for tackling the important issue of Nepali migrant labour "Sending money home" (#81). Ms Rai quotes from our study that remittances worth Rs 30 billion flow into Nepal annually. She also reports that Himal Khabarpatrika had estimated annual remittances coming into Nepal as Rs 69 billion. As a matter of fact, our study had made both estimates. The first one did not include remittances coming from India as it was (is) difficult to estimate the number of Nepali workers working there. By making some rough estimates of the number of people working in India and the remittances they send to Nepal, we reached to the conclusion that, in total, remittances (from all foreign countries, but excluding the pension payments) could reach Rs 69 billion. Considering the contribution of remittances to GDP, Nepal's participation in foreign labour migration seems to be far less compared to Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan. In this globalised world, it is not a matter of shame to go abroad for employment. But it is important to be competent in securing better jobs in the international market. Other countries have formulated policies that have helped their people take opportunities available in international labour markets. They also consider the restrictions placed by developed countries on free mobility of labour across national boundaries is against the spirit of globalisation and level-playing field of the market-based economy. For details on the growing importance of non-farm income in the Nepali economy, migration paths, and the role of remittances in the livelihood security of villages, readers can refer to our forthcoming book, The New Lahures : Labour Migration and Remittances Economy of Nepal.

Jagannath Adhikari
Kathmandu


I can understand why it is difficult to estimate the number of Nepalis working in India, but it should be fairly easy to look at the number of Nepalis working in the rest of the world. All we have to do is look at the number of embarkation cards for departing Nepalis.

Sashi Bhandari
Swargadari Khola, Pyuthan