Labour Economics

Nepal Ko Shram Arthashastra (Labor Economics of Nepal) Published Year: 2004 Published by: Nepal Foundation for Advanced Studies (NEFAS) & Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) Writen By : Dr. Bedraj Acharya Price: Not mentioned, Pages: 144+12

By-RKC

LABOUR, factor of production, has a significant role in the economy. The entire dynamics of labour has become more complicated in the context of today's economic liberalization and free market economy coupled with rapid development of science and technology. The essence of liberalization is to earn profit by reducing cost of production to a possible extent.

The issues relating to the welfare of workers are getting less priority along with the economic liberalization and globalization following the transformation of GATT into the WTO in 1995. Diametrically there are two opposite views - one in favour of employees and the other in favour of employers.

The views in favour of employers seem to have overwhelmed the significance of the price of labour (blue colour job). The concept of deregulation and denationalization has become more prominent. On the one hand the issues relating to labour are getting less priority in the free market economy. Their concerns are trampled in a number of occasions. Without letting them know their voices are suppressed.

On the other hand, labourers, themselves are not aware about their rights and obligations. The situation of labourers and labour movement in Nepal is becoming more pathetic especially in the context of Nepal's entry into the world trade regime and other regional groupings such as BIMSTEC and SAFTA etc.

The degree of intricacy in labour sector is visible. There arises a question how a country like Nepal would be able to grapple with the situation whose labour productivity is much less than others South Asian countries. Would Nepal be able to take benefits out of free trade? Prof Gunanidhi Sharma, a prominent economist has raised these issues in the acknowledgement of Nepal ko Shram Arthashastra (Labour Economics of Nepal) authored by Bedraj Acharya.

The book written in Nepali by Acharya is probably the first book about Labour Economics in Nepal.

The author in the book has endeavored to contain much information on labour in eight different chapters.

In the first chapter, the author has thoroughly defined the Labour Economics in a very simple way that everybody can easily understand. The author has tried to explain labour in different perspectives. Similarly in the second chapter there is an analysis of labour and its productivity factor. In this chapter he has defined, how labour is related to productivity. Hardly few people in the labour sector are aware about the productivity and labour. Trade Union leaders and so called experts these days hardly care about the productivity aspect of labourers. The author has minutely analyzed various facets of labour and productivity.

In the fourth chapter, the author explains about the industrial laborers. Industrial labourers have prominent role in the labour economics. Similarly, the author in the fifth and sixth chapter has explained about the labourers in the informal sector including women and child labour.

The other important issues are social justice and social security that have not got priority in the Nepalese labour economics. Similarly the author has minutely explained about the Nepalese labourers and interntional labour market. He has also mentioned the plight of Nepalese workers in the outside job market. Finally in the last chapter the author has described the social aspect of workers.

He has tried to analyze from the social point of view. The book in fact is very interesting and informative even though it has been designed to meet the requirements of the bachelor's level course in economics.

The book is very informative; however Prof. Sharma's acknowledgement presents a broader view and wide range of perspectives. Above all the book is particularly useful for trade Union leaders. The author should be appreciated for his contribution. Moreover, NEFAS deserves apperception for publishing such book. Readers can expect more from NEFAS in future.

Source: Friday Supplement, The Rising Nepal (11 February 2005)