The prospect of urbanization in new federal structure of Nepal and Measures to be taken to manage urbanization?

Nepal has just stepped to the “Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal” by the Interim Constitution of Nepal in 2063 BS after long multidimensional conflicts. More prominently after the promulgation of new constitution in 2072 BS, the urbanization challenges are in a new way of realization with different approach to solve multiple problems in livelihood of people.

 The challenges in relation to the governmental system are kept into mind during drafting of the constitution through the most democratic way of Constitution Assembly. One most important feature of the constitution being the federalization of country Nepal. The very remarkable decision made to solve the very basic issues of the marginalized people to the higher complex issues of economic-social growth. Earlier, Urbanization in Nepal has been defined in terms of Municipalities, Sub-Metropolitan Cities and Metropolitan Cities since long. The concept of federalization has attempted to add the strength for social development in following ways:

संघकाे अधिकार (Provinces)

• केन्द्रीय योजना
• जलस्रोतको संरक्षण र बहुआयामिक उपयोग सम्बन्धी नीति र मापदण्ड,
• केन्द्रीय स्तरका ठूला विद्युत, सिंचाइ र अन्य आयोजना तथा परियोजना,
• केन्द्रीय विश्वविद्यालय, केन्द्रीयस्तरका प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठान, विश्वविद्यालय मापदण्ड र नियमन, केन्द्रीय पुस्तकालय, अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय विमानस्थल,
• राष्ट्रिय यातायात नीति, रेल तथा राष्ट्रिय लोकमार्गको व्यवस्थापन,
• खानी उत्खनन,
• राष्ट्रिय तथा अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय वातावरण व्यवस्थापन,
• राष्ट्रिय निकुञ्ज,
• वन्यजन्तु आरक्ष तथा सिमसार क्षेत्र,
• राष्ट्रिय वन नीति,
• भूउपयोग नीति,
• बस्ती विकास नीति, पर्यटन नीति, वातावरण अनुकूलन

प्रदेश (States)

• घर जग्गा रजिष्ट्रेशन शुल्क, सवारी साधन कर, मनोरञ्जन कर, विज्ञापन कर, पर्यटन, कृषि आयमा कर, सेवा शुल्क
• दस्तुर, दण्ड, जरिवाना,
• प्रदेश स्तरको विद्युत, सिचाइ र खानेपानी सेवा,
• परिवहन, प्रदेश लोकमार्ग,
• भूमि व्यवस्थापन, जग्गाको अभिलेख,
• खानी अन्वेषण र व्यवस्थापन,
• प्रदेशभित्रको राष्ट्रिय वन, जल उपयोग तथा वातावरण व्यवस्थापन,
• कृषि तथा पशु विकास, कलकारखाना, औद्योगिकीकरण, व्यापार व्यवसाय, यातायात,
• गुठी व्यवस्थापन,

Common of Provinces and States:

• योजना, परिवार नियोजन र जनसंख्या व्यवस्थापन,
• प्रदेश सीमा नदी, जलमार्ग,
• वातावरण संरक्षण, जैविक विविधता,
• पर्यटन, खानेपानी तथा सरसफाइ,
• गरीबी निवारण र औद्योगीकरण,
• अन्तरप्रादेशिक रूपमा फैलिएको जंगल, हिमाल,
• वन संरक्षण क्षेत्र जल उपयोग,
• भूमि नीति र सो सम्बन्धी कानून,

स्थानीय तह (Local Bodies)

• सहकारी संस्था, स्थानीय सेवाको व्यवस्थापन,
• स्थानीय स्तरका विकास आयोजना तथा परियोजनाहरू,
• स्थानीय बजार व्यवस्थापन, वातावरण संरक्षण र जैविक विविधता,
• स्थानीय सडक, ग्रामीण सडक, कृषि सडक, सिंचाइ,
• ज्येष्ठ नागरिक, अपांगता भएका व्यक्ति र अशक्तहरूको व्यवस्थापन,
• कृषि प्रसारको व्यवस्थापन, संचालन र नियन्त्रण,
• खानेपानी, साना जलविद्युत आयोजना, वैकल्पिक ऊर्जा, जलाधार,
• वन्यजन्तु, खानी तथा खनिज पदार्थको संरक्षण,
• भाषा, संस्कृति र ललितकलाको संरक्षण र विकास

Common of Proviences, States and Local Bodies:

• विद्युत, खानेपानी, सिंचाइ जस्ता सेवाहरू,
• सामाजिक सुरक्षा र गरीबी निवारण,
• व्यक्तिगत घटना, जन्म, मृत्यु, विवाह र तथ्यांक,
• पुरातत्व, प्राचीन स्मारक र संग्रहालय,
• सुकुम्बासी व्यवस्थापन

(Source: Constitution of Nepal)

Multidisciplinary Development (सर्वांगीण विकास) is the main focus with all the responsibilities of any of the government level from lower to higher. The provisions for Social, Cultural and Economic Development are strongly mentioned there in the constitution for Bisesh, Samrakshit and Swayatta Kshettra  (विकासका लागि विशेष, संरक्षित वा स्वायत्त क्षेत्र).

In accordance to the above mentioned “Responsibilities” of different strata of government in the new federal Nepal, I have suggested following measures that could be taken to manage urbanization in Nepal:

1. Urbanization with the Participatory Approach in all level of government.
2. Strong and cooperative relation between planning to implement them in the local areas with the help of local bodies.
3. Collective and Multidisciplinary development approach for all people.
4. Maximum utilization of the Natural resources in the sustainable way as assured by constitution of Nepal.
5. Protection of green spaces and fertile land.
6. Planning for all age group, able and differently able people in all sectors.
7. Social, Cultural and Economic development of all areas completely.
8. Proper land use planning, zoning and strong implementation with strong reason for its conservation of monuments, architecture etc. with empowerment of local people.
9. Comprehensive planning approach to provide complete livelihood activities and economic sustainability with other social means to engage and employ local youths.
10. Disaster risk measures, demographic tools and services.

With all the above mentioned description and different measures suggested may completely answer the requirement of the question.