KATHMANDU, Dec 31: The Government of Nepal has officially approved the long-awaited National Urban Policy 2081, which aims to improve urban development across the country. The policy, passed by the Council of Ministers in the last week of December, outlines four main strategies to address urbanization challenges: creating a comprehensive national urban system, expanding access to resilient urban infrastructure, maximizing resource mobilization for urban development, and strengthening coordination and governance within urban management.
One of the key features of the policy is the clear distribution of responsibilities among the three tiers of government – federal, provincial, and local levels. The federal government will be in charge of formulating and implementing national urban policies, creating standards, and overseeing large-scale projects. The provincial governments will focus on developing economic centers and promoting resilient settlements, while the local governments will be responsible for urban planning, settlement development, and implementing projects that align with local needs and identities.
The new policy sets an ambitious goal of improving the urban infrastructure index of Nepal’s urban areas to at least 50 percent by 2036. To achieve this, the government plans to restructure the Urban Development Fund and mobilize additional financial resources through partnerships, green investments, and climate-focused funds. The policy also includes the creation of an Urban Development Act to regulate urban development, including land use, infrastructure planning, and real estate management.
Furthermore, the policy emphasizes the importance of monitoring and evaluation, with regular assessments of progress conducted by the Ministry of Urban Development. The policy’s impact will be reviewed every five years, and a comprehensive review will be carried out every ten years.
The implementation of the National Urban Policy 2081 is expected to address growing urbanization challenges and create a more sustainable and coordinated approach to urban development in Nepal.