Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha said self-employment and entrepreneurship have been prioritised in the government’s policies, programmes and budget for the next fiscal year, 2023/24. Self-employment and entrepreneurship will be focused through Nepal’s potentiality in agriculture, water resources, hydropower, medicinal herbs and tourism, said DPM Shrestha while inaugurating the Model United Nations programme, 2023 organised here by the National Youth Council in collaboration with the St. Xavier’s College.

Creating job opportunities at home means to bring back over 6 million youths considered to be the foundation for the country’s development toiling in foreign lands, he said. ‘Studying while earning and earning while studying’ programme will be run from the next FY targeting youths, he said while stressing the need for youths to connect with sciences and technology while safeguarding original culture of the country.

Likewise, the UN Resident Coordinator for Nepal Hanaa Singer-Hamdy and Country Representative of WWF (World Wildlife Fund) Nepal Dr Ghana Shyam Gurung said such programme would help engage youths in creative work. According to the 2078 BS census, 42.56 percent of the population of Nepal accounts for youths between the 16-40 age group.