KATHMANDU:- The Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) has welcomed the Nepali government’s budget for the fiscal year 2083/84, saying it has made various policy arrangements for Nepalis living abroad and workers in foreign employment. The NRNA has expressed gratitude to the government, describing the budget as a ‘historic and positive’ step.

In a statement issued on Friday by the association’s spokesperson, Somnath Sapkota, it is mentioned that the government’s announcement to make a contemporary amendment to the provision regarding “Non-Resident Nepali Citizenship” guaranteed by the constitution and embody the slogan “Once a Nepali, Always a Nepali” has brought joy to Nepalis around the world.

The association believes that this provision has opened the door to direct inclusion of NRNs in the core campaign of nation-building by providing them with all kinds of economic, social and cultural rights.

The association has considered the inclusion of economic agendas in the budget, especially those involving NRNs in the secondary market of Nepal’s securities (shares), issuing diaspora bonds and clean energy bonds, and encouraging co-investment in the startup sector as an important achievement.

Similarly, the announcement to prepare the necessary legal and technical infrastructure to ensure the right to vote by involving Nepalis living abroad in the democratic process has addressed the long-standing demand of the diaspora, the statement said.

The budget also brings forward important reform plans in the field of foreign employment. The NRNA has welcomed the issue of formal recognition of workers’ skills, inclusion in the social security fund, control of labor exploitation, and promotion of foreign employment at zero cost.

In particular, the announcement to provide a legal basis for ‘remote work’, which allows people to work for foreign employers while staying in Nepal, is believed to pave the way for a new generation of technical and skilled youth to enjoy international opportunities while staying at home.

To create an investment-friendly environment, the government has committed to automating the foreign investment approval process, simplifying the process of repatriating profits, and introducing a new bill with comprehensive reforms in the visa system.

Similarly, the association has stated that the plan to provide fellowships to Nepali researchers who have earned international fame in the field of artificial intelligence and bring them back home will greatly contribute to the country’s technological development.

The association has thanked the Ministry of Finance and all relevant bodies for including in the budget the issues of diaspora investment, knowledge and skills utilization that it has been raising since the past.

The association has strongly demanded that the government not keep these announced policies and programs limited to paper form but rather enact laws as soon as possible and take them to the implementation stage.