Kathmandu: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Urban Development Prakash Man Singh has announced initiatives aimed at making cities safe, clean, and sustainable. This includes the formulation of key policies such as the Human Settlement Development Policy, Waste Management Bill, Urban Development Bill, and Bagmati Civilization Bill.
According to National News Agency Nepal, policy-level reforms are a continuous focus, with the Urban Development Policy, 2081 now approved and implemented. DPM Singh addressed these topics while responding to lawmakers’ queries during the discussion on the Ministry of Urban Development’s matters under the Appropriation Bill, 2082, in the House of Representatives.
Minister Singh revealed that for the new fiscal year, a total of Rs 91.3417 billion has been allocated for federal government programs, Rs 9.8962 billion for provincial initiatives, and Rs 15.91 billion for local level programs. He noted the absence of a separate institutional framework for leading long-term urban development, despite increasing human settlement density since the onset of planned development. Additionally, Rs 400 million has been earmarked to settle the unfinished obligations of 8,350 households under the Janata Awas Program.
DPM Singh highlighted the construction of over 11,000 suspension bridges by various government levels, with plans and budget allocated for 200 more in the coming fiscal year. The upcoming fiscal year’s programs prioritize urban centers in alignment with the transformative strategy of the 16th Periodic Plan, aiming to establish major urban centers and provincial capitals as economic hubs.
Further, Rs 2.83 billion has been set aside to develop major tourist cities like Pokhara, Janakpur, Lumbini, Devdaha, Sainamaina, Tilottama, Ramgram, and Siddharthanagar. The objective is to transform these areas into disaster-resilient and livable cities through the construction of integrated urban infrastructure.