Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Ministry of Urban Development, Prakash Man Singh, highlighted the challenges of rapid urbanization faced by Nepal. Speaking at the symposium in Kathmandu, the DPM expressed gratitude to the organizers for hosting the important event in Kathmandu.

"Kathmandu, with its rich history and resilience, sets the stage for meaningful discussions. Today, we come together to deliberate on the future of our cities and the well-being of the people who rely on effective urban governance. Our cities should not only offer economic opportunities but also embody culture, sustainability, and resilience," Minister Singh stated.

Nepal, similar to other Asian countries, grapples with the complexities of rapid urbanization, environmental degradation, and socio-economic disparities. The government is dedicated to addressing these issues with a focus on improving lives and livelihoods.

The Regional Roundtable on Urban Governance and Development, held on March 26th, was organized by Niti Foundation in partnership with the Cities Institute at the University of New South Wales, Australia. National and international stakeholders and experts engaged in discussions on various urban development issues during the event.

The roundtable was led by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Urban Development Prakash Man Singh. He encouraged regional dialogue to address common issues faced by Kathmandu and other South Asian cities, such as clean rivers, clean air, disaster preparedness, and heritage conservation.

The discussion focused on two main themes: how urban governance can support economic growth in the capital, and the coordination between government levels for inclusive and sustainable urban development.

During the first discussion, national stakeholders highlighted the importance of private investment in rapidly urbanizing areas like Kathmandu, a more comprehensive approach to urban governance, maintaining ecological balance, infrastructure and spatial planning, youth unemployment concerns, studying internal migration patterns, improving connectivity for Nepali markets, and addressing the indirect impacts of high land prices on cultural heritage, as well as the effects of criminal activities, poverty, and unemployment on the urban economy. International stakeholders also emphasized the need for a regional approach to economic growth, citing examples from India, such as climate action plans and shared services.

The second thematic discussion focused on transitioning from traditional hierarchical coordination to working in the realm of Joint Service Arrangements for urban governance in a federal Nepal. It emphasized the challenges of inadequate resources and capacity at the local level, issues of role duplication among the three tiers of government, and the necessity for functional provincial government and urban policies for the workforce and laborers. International stakeholders also emphasized the importance of collaboration and governance approaches in this context.

The regional roundtable emphasized the human element and cultural identities of cities, as well as the significance of connectivity to nature and fostering regional connections, particularly in South Asia. The core principle of urban governance is to create cities where people can thrive, with access to essential services, secure housing, clean environments, and opportunities for economic and social advancement. This vision goes beyond infrastructure to focus on building sustainable and resilient communities where everyone can lead fulfilling lives.

Basanta Kumar Pokharel, Executive Director of Niti Foundation, and Peter Poulet, Founding Director of Cities Institute at the University of New South Wales, Australia, highlighted the Symposium's agenda in their statements.

The participants discussed the agenda topics, including the reasons behind the lack of economic growth in Kathmandu due to rapid urbanization compared to other South Asian cities. They also explored how urban planning and governance could help reverse this trend.

Kishore Thapa, a former secretary and urban expert, presented the first paper. He highlighted that not all municipalities are truly urban, citing examples like Bandipur, a rural municipality with urban characteristics. Thapa pointed out that Nepal's growth is not driven by industries, as indicated by the World Bank's growth rate of 2.5%.

Professor Sangeeta Singh from the Institute of Engineering (IOE), Tribhuwan University, commented on the paper, noting that only 38 out of 58 municipalities scored a passing mark of 50 in infrastructure development. She mentioned that a later study revealed that only 13% of municipalities have satisfactory road connectivity.

Biresh Shah from the Kathmandu Institute also shared his insights, emphasizing the importance of discussing urban issues alongside sectoral and national economic discussions. He highlighted the negative perception of urbanization in modern Nepal and the preference for rural living over urban lifestyles.

Surya Bhakta Sangachhe from the National Society for Earthquake Technology-Nepal stressed the need for focused planning to address these issues.

Lumanti Joshi emphasized that the industrial corridor, including Jitpur Simara, is still facing challenges with job markets for young people, leading to dissatisfaction and high levels of unemployment among urban youth in Nepal.

Dr. Meena Poudel, a Migration Expert and former Program Manager at the International Organization for Migration (IOM), highlighted the lack of consideration for migration and migrants in the planning process. She stressed the importance of shifting towards a 21st-century migration paradigm and addressing insider-outsider dynamics.

Pragya Pradhan, Program Manager at UN Habitat, pointed out the increasing migration towards the Terai region in Nepal and the lack of dedicated studies to understand and guide urban development in response to these shifting patterns.

Kalanidhi Devkota, Executive Director of the Municipal Association of Nepal, emphasized the importance of recognizing local governments as capable entities with constitutionally granted rights that should be respected and utilized effectively.

Mayor Nagesh Koirala of Biratnagar Metropolitan City provided insights into the current state of the city and its development challenges.

Based on my observations, I believe that an important element was lacking in the presentation - the aspect of connectivity. For instance, there is no direct connection between Silguri, where Debolina is from, and Biratnagar. Discussing the open border issue is crucial for economic growth. People from Dharan cross the Biratnagar border to India for cheaper goods. Dr. Debolina Kundu, Director of the Indian National Institute of Urban Affairs, highlighted the similarities in governance and demography between Nepal and India. India also has a distribution of 1/3 urban, 1/3 peri-urban, and 1/3 rural areas.

Ganesh Bhatta, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives, and Poverty Alleviation, addressed the issue of land not being considered a factor for economic growth. The lack of open spaces in cities, reserved for religious and cultural purposes, may pose challenges for the urban poor. The same land governance system applies to both urban and rural areas. “

Dr. Rohit Ranjitkar, a heritage conservationist at the Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust, noted that many heritage sites in Kathmandu are now being taken over by hotels and restaurants, leading to the displacement of the indigenous core population to the outskirts. This trend is driven by stricter legislation and higher rents in the core areas, with property prices reaching levels comparable to those in New York. The increasing value of these houses is primarily driven by property speculation for buying and selling purposes.

Bam Bahadur Bhandari, a security expert and former AIG, emphasized the interconnectedness of security with governance and other societal issues. He highlighted that issues such as counterfeit products and drug abuse have a direct impact on the economy, and if not addressed, organized criminal groups could exploit the situation. Bhandari stressed the importance of focusing on economic development to prevent such threats from taking over the economy and politics.

Mohan Das Manandhar shared his insights and moderated the session, pointing out that South Asia is characterized by a hierarchical social structure with strong ties to caste and other vertical hierarchies. He also highlighted the prevalence of federalism in the region as another common model.

Nepal faces three main constraints in its federal system: structural, institutional, and financial. Local governments have gained political autonomy, and the 2015 constitution emphasizes inclusive and federal governance. While political federalism has been achieved through successful elections, challenges remain in fully implementing federalism in Nepal.

Economic development is not clearly defined as the role of local government. The historical legacy for cities and local governance is evident in the Local Governance Act of 1996, where local governments work closely with communities. In the past, district offices managed district-level service delivery under the control of chief district officers. Later, Local Development Officers (LDOs) were introduced to address power dynamics. Although districts were eliminated, Chief District Officers (CDOs) now function as Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs) and still wield significant power.

Dr. Suraj Raj Kafle, a Member of the City Planning Commission in Kathmandu Metropolitan City, emphasized the importance of digital planning, unified grievance systems, granting more taxation rights to local governments, and promoting productive inter-governmental coordination councils. He suggested bureaucratic reforms to enhance vertical and horizontal governance.

Suman Prasad Sharma, a former secretary and Executive Director of KUKL, highlighted that urban governance involves a complex interplay of social and political issues, with infrastructure at its core. The source of funding for infrastructure development is crucial, as without improvements in infrastructure quality, progress may be hindered.

Given Nepal's current focus on urban planning, the symposium holds great importance.