Kathmandu, April 27 -- When the government announced a slew of measures to support sectors affected by the coronavirus pandemic last month, it had pinned its hope on the Prime Minister Employment Programme, which provides a minimum 100 days of work for registered unemployed citizens, to address issues related to employment.

But as a large number of migrant workers have been hit hard by the global pandemic, such programmes that provide only temporary employment can't provide respite for workers in the long run, experts say.

"Schemes such as the PM employment programme can't be a long-lasting option as it temporarily provides certain days of employment," said Swarna Kumar Jha, a labour migration researcher at the National Network for Safe...