June 15: The number of contributors and employers participating in the Social Security Fund has been increasing of late. The number of employers listed in the state-sponsored social security scheme has reached 17,945 as of June 13.

The data of the Social Security Fund shows that the number of listed contributors has reached 580,460.

The government had decided to include Nepali migrant workers in foreign countries and self-employed workers in the social security scheme starting from March 22. The government has made it mandatory for workers going abroad to join the social security scheme.

Arrangements have been made for the workers going abroad to get affiliated to the social security scheme while obtaining work permit. Similarly, during the renewal of the labor permit, workers who are employed abroad must get registered in the fund.

Vivek Panthi, deputy executive director of the fund, says that the participation of workers in foreign employment has increased day by day in accordance with the government's goal of expanding the scope of contribution-based social security by including workers in foreign employment in the fund.

The fund informed that it is making preparations to include 2.2 million workers who are employed abroad in the fund. A total of 7.48 percent of the amount contributed by Nepali workers in foreign jobs has been allocated for the Accident and Disability Protection Scheme and the Dependent Family Protection Scheme and 13.85 percent to the Old Age Protection Scheme.

The contributors can choose to withdraw the total contribution amount accumulated in the pension scheme, which includes the contribution amount in addition to the returns received from SSF’s investment, at once or receive the amount in 160 installments as pension throughout one’s life time.

This provision is one of the reasons why the number of contributors is increasing.

Nevertheless, a large number of banks and financial institutions still have not decided to join the Social Security Fund. There is a fear among the private sector employees that the facilities they have been enjoying so far might be curtailed.

While announcing the budget of the next fiscal year, the government made it clear that it aims to include more and more workers from the formal and informal sectors in the social security scheme. It is widely believed that the goal of the fund will not be achieved until the employees of big companies including banks and financial institutions join the scheme.