Ministry Studies Draft Criteria for Local Unit Boundary Issues

Kathmandu. The Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration has stated that it is studying the suggestions received regarding the draft criteria prepared to resolve policy-level issues arising from boundary demarcation problems in some wards of certain local units. The Ministry had sought suggestions and opinions from the general public by preparing a draft of the criteria for policy-level problem-solving to address the difficulties and complaints faced by the public due to discrepancies between boundary demarcation and recommendations from different sides. Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration, Deepak Dhakal, informed that the draft criteria is being studied to finalize it in consultation with the officials of the Federation of Rural Municipalities and the Association of Municipalities, based on the criteria studied by the local units. Earlier, the Ministry had invited suggestions on the draft criteria. According to Deputy Secretary Dhakal, the issue of reviewing the current classification of municipalities to merge some local units and municipalities into metropolitan cities has also been raised. Discussions have been held in various stages at the Ministry regarding the draft criteria to include such cases in the classification. The Local Level Operation Act has a provision for local units to merge their boundaries. The Ministry has also stated that the issue of changing the centers of more than 100 local units has been raised. Since the establishment of 753 local units in 2074 BS, local governments have been operating as Palika governments close to the homes of the general public. Currently, along with one central government, seven provincial governments and 753 local governments are in practice in the country. Currently, there are 6 metropolitan cities, 11 sub-metropolitan cities, 276 municipalities, 460 rural municipalities, and 6,743 wards in the country. In the past, the names and numbers of local units and wards were finalized based on the suggestions given by local task forces, provinces, and central commissions. At that time, although the boundaries of local units and wards were roughly demarcated, they could not be meticulously finalized in the field, which has led to changes in the geography and boundaries of some wards during practice, according to the Ministry. During the process of providing suggestions on the draft criteria, it has been found that the general public has requested to increase, merge, and separate the boundaries of some wards. The Ministry has stated that practical and legal suggestions will be included in the draft. The Ministry has sought opinions and suggestions on how the land between rivers and streams, which forms the boundary of local units, should be treated, and how the process of merging two or more local units can be simplified.