Kathmandu, Aug. 12: The government is extending the coverage of social security scheme to workers in the informal sector and self-employed persons.
The Social Security Fund is enlisting this section of workers in the scheme through an official event to be organized on August 16. The Fund’s Spokesperson Bibek Panthi shared that workers in informal sector and self-employed persons should contribute at least 20.37 percent of their basic wage set by the government. According to him, 11 per cent of the contributed amount will be from the concerned contributor and remaining 9.37 percent from the government.
The government has fixed Rs. 15,000 as minimum wage for workers in the informal sector out of which Rs. 9,385 is basic wage while Rs. 5,615 is dearness allowance. The Fund is planning to introduce a host of programmes such as medical treatment, health and maternity, accident and disability, dependent family security plan and old-age security plan, among others, for informal sector workers and self-employed ones.
Those enlisted in the scheme from the upcoming programme will receive Rs. 100,000 annually for medical treatment in the designated hospital. In case of sickness and pregnancy, 60 percent of the basic salary will be provided to the contributors, it was shared. Likewise, the beneficiary will get Rs 700,000 in case of accident and at least 60 per cent of the basic salary in case of disability.
The contributors, however, should have worked at least nine months to get medical, accident and dependent family facility as well as the work of at least 180 months and be above 60 years to get old-age facility provided by the Fund.
