KATHMANDU: While celebrating its sixth anniversary today, the Social Security Fund (SSF) unveils achievements clouded by persistent challenges and unmet commitments.
Initiated on March 19, 2020, with the promise of robust social security tax collection, the SSF’s journey through its sixth operational year, dubbed ‘Social Security Day,’ reveals a mixed bag of progress and pitfalls.
The SSF, established following legislative frameworks like the Labor Act 2074 and the Social Security Act 2074, highlights its endeavors, but the ground reality raises critical points:
Limited Enhancements: Amendments to the Social Security Scheme Operating Procedures, 2075, promise expanded benefits. Yet, the changes primarily focus on a few additional provisions, such as medical treatment coverage for contributors’ children, failing to address wider systemic issues.
Incomplete Inclusions: Despite efforts to extend coverage to citizens employed abroad and informal sector workers, the actual impact remains questionable. The number of registered contributors, while notable at 468,000, is a fraction of Nepal’s workforce, leaving many without social security benefits.
Inadequate Reach: With approximately 931,000 workers currently enrolled, the fund’s collection of Rs 44.86 billion is commendable but fails to encompass a substantial portion of the workforce, indicating gaps in outreach and effectiveness.
Benefit Disbursement Hurdles: Claims under various protection schemes showcase disbursement efforts, but the actual beneficiaries’ experiences and access to these benefits remain a concern, with many contributors facing difficulties in availing themselves of entitled facilities.
Health Facility Challenges: The envisioned direct provision of health benefits through affiliated institutions, aiming to streamline processes, is operational in only 70 hospitals, underscoring a significant gap in service availability across the country.
Financial Loopholes: The SSF’s touted interest rates and loan schemes aim to assist contributors, yet the actual impact remains under scrutiny. Limited beneficiaries and complexities in availing these benefits pose obstacles for many contributors in accessing financial assistance.
Infrastructural Gaps: While the fund boasts expanded offices in several cities, the impact on service quality and accessibility for contributors remains uncertain, with reports of inconsistent service delivery persisting.
The SSF’s journey, albeit marked by some achievements, faces immense challenges in truly delivering comprehensive social security and fulfilling promises to Nepal’s workforce. As it marks this milestone, critical introspection and concerted efforts are imperative to bridge the widening gap between promises and realities for workers across the nation.
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