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Nepal Climbs Four Spots Up In GRI

  2 min 35 sec to read

 
--By Sanjeev Sharma
 
Retirement security of Nepali workers is seen improving as retired public and private sector employees are receiving more benefits, a latest global report shows. The 2014 Global Retirement Index (GRI), ranked Nepal 114th, up four spots from 118th in 2013. The report published by Paris-based Natixis Global Asset Management, the world’s 13th largest asset management company with USD 392.96 in assets, finds Nepal’s performance improving, though slowly, over the past year. The report ranks 150 countries based on four broad factors such as health care, finances, economic well-being and quality of life. Nepal’s achieved an overall score of 40 per cent in the index, which was 39 per cent last year. 
 
The country scored 35 per cent and 39 per cent in sub-indices of health and finances in retirement respectively. In the finances in retirement sub-index, Nepal scored 39 per cent falling eight spots to 148th from 140 in 2013. Similarly, the country also poorly performed in quality of life sub-index where it scored 39 per cent and ranked 132nd, down 5 spots from last year’s 127th. However, Nepal comparatively fared well in material well-being sub-index with a score of 47 per cent.  
 
The country’s southern and northern neighbours, India and China, meanwhile ranked 104th and 69th respectively.  India’s position declined three spots in the index, whereas, China climbed upfour spots. The report pointed India as the worst performing nation among BRIC nationthis year. “The main upset being its performance in the finances in retirement sub-index where it dropped from 20th to 128th place,” Natixis said in the report. “In addition it continues its mediocre performance in the health and quality of life sub-indices.” 
 
Sri Lanka was the highest ranking South Asian nation with 86th position in 2014 GRI, climbing 5 spots from 91th in 2013. Bangladesh and Pakistan also climbed higher in the index with 105th and 102nd spots respectively.  Last year, Bangladesh ranked 112th, whereas, Pakistan was placed at 107th. 
 
European countries took eight of the top 10 spots, buoyed by strong social programs for older citizens. Switzerland claimed the top spot pushing Norway to second place in 2014 GRI. Austria, Sweden, Australia, Denmark, Germany, Finland, New Zealand and Luxembourg occupied the remaining top 10 spots. United States, meanwhile, remained unchanged from last year’s 19th position. United Kingdom climbed to 18th spot from 20 in 2013. Japan was seen as the worst performer among developed nations. The country dropped 12 spots to 27th in the index. Despite the domination of European countries, the report warns that the long-term financial security of retirees in developed economies is under pressure. “Ageing populations and increasing high old-age dependency ratios, a historically prolonged period of low interest rates and high levels of sovereign debt are testing the resilience of retirement systems and fuelling uncertainty,” it said. African countries Togo, Burindi, Niger, Comoros and Zimbabwe occupied the bottom five spots in the index.

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