Mayors’ Conference ends with 6-pt declaration

Pokhara / July 31: The mayors of the metropolitan cities in the country have said that a separate law should be issued by the federal parliament for the municipalities. They made the remarks at the two-day Mayors’ Conference held in Pokhara. Issuing a 6-point declaration titled ‘Metro Meet Nepal’, the mayors concluded that a separate law is needed for the operation of the metropolises. In the conference, they stated that the existing federal law should be amended and a new law should be formulated.

In the first point of the 6-point declaration of Metro Meet Nepal, they have pointed out that a separate law should be issued for the metropolises in the country. “In order to ensure the successful implementation of the federal governance system, by deepening the coordination and cooperation with the federal and provincial governments, to further strengthen the metropolitan governance, policy and planning management, development, construction and service delivery, the existing federal law relating to various subject areas including the Local Government Operation Act, 2074 Along with the amendment to the law and the creation of a new law, we also request the federal parliament to issue a separate law for the metropolitan cities,” the declaration reads.

The conference has also put forward a plan to establish ‘Metropolitan Forum Nepal’. It is mentioned that through the Metropolitan Forum Nepal, mutual support and cooperation will be carried out by promoting mutual contacts and networks between the metropolises while respecting and addressing the specific natural, cultural and social fundamental characters and problems and possibilities of the metropolitan cities.

It is said that there is solidarity in speeding up the pace of formulation and implementation of metropolitan policies and plans. It has also been decided to form a policy and planning commission in every metropolis to ensure orderly urbanization, fact-based policy making and an effective and accountable implementation system. It has been mentioned that policies will be made in harmony with the federal and provincial planning process and methodology by forming the Policy and Planning Commission.

In accordance with the provisions adopted by the federal and provincial governments, it has been agreed to make appropriate legal arrangements for the organization structure of all the metropolises. Dhanraj Acharya, mayor of Pokhara, said that there is solidarity to coordinate and cooperate with the federal and provincial governments and other organs and bodies of the state through mutual information transmission and consultation in order to address the mutual questions, problems and challenges of the metropolises in a coordinated manner.

He expressed his determination to cooperate with the neighboring sub-metropolitan cities, municipalities and rural municipalities of the metropolis in the areas of green and inclusive infrastructure governance and development, financing system, project formulation and implementation and service delivery. On Friday and Saturday, mayors, deputy mayors and administrative officers of Bharatpur, Biratnagar, Birgunj, Kathmandu and Lalitpur along with Pokhara reached Sarangkot, the tourist area of Pokhara, and issued the declaration.