The government today declared 72 new municipalities across 19 districts, increasing the total number of municipalities to 130.

There were 58 municipalities with one Metropolitan City and four Sub-metropolitan Cities. In July 2011, the government had decided to add 41 new municipalities, but that could not be implemented. Today, with slight changes in the previous proposal, the government decided to add 72 new municipalities by merging 283 VDCs, said Minister for Information and Communication Minendra Rijal.

The total number of VDCs will now be reduced to 3,633. Despite having 72 new municipalities, 13 districts still don’t have a municipality. They include Manang, Mustang, Rukum, Rolpa, Jajarkot, Humla, Kalikot, Mugu, Ramechhap, Dolpa, Solukhumbu, Rasuwa and Bajura.

The government has also failed to declare four proposed municipalities, including Manthali of Ramechhap, Shankarapur of Kathmandu, Karyabinayak and Champapur of Lalitpur districts due to disputes. The Cabinet today decided to form a task force to study the feasibility of declaring other municipalities including the four disputed areas.

The government can declare an area with basic infrastructure like electricity, drinking water, hospital, schools, market and access to transportation as a municipality if it can raise a minimum of one million rupees in annual revenue from internal resources. There has to be population of at least 20,000 in municipalities of the Tarai region and 10,000 in the hilly and mountain regions.

Eastern Region
Taplejung municipality (Taplejung), Phidim municipality (Panchthar), Urlabari municipality (Morang), Myanglung Municipality (Tehrathum), Bhojpur Municipality (Bhojpur), Diktel Municipality (Khotang), Katari municipality (Udayapur), Shambhunath Municipality (Saptari), Kanchan Rup Municipality (Saptari), Mirchaiya municipality (Siraha), Suryodaya Municipality (Ilam), Shani-Arjun Municipality (Jhapa), Kankai Municipality (Jhapa), Chainpur Municipality (Sankhuwasabha), Belbari Municipality (Morang), Pathari Sanischare municipality (Morang), Sundar Dulari Municipality (Morang), Koshi Haraichha Municipality (Morang), Rangeli Municipality (Morang), Duhabi-Bhaluwa Municipality (Sunsari), Siddicharan Municipality (Okhaldhunga) and Beltar-Basaha Municipality (Udayapur), Birtamod Municipality (Jhapa)

Central Region
Hariban Municipality (Sarlahi), Chandrapur Municipality (Chandranigahapur, Rautahat), Gadimai Municipality (Bara), Chautara Municipality (Sindhupalchowk), Panchkhal Municipality (Kavre), Nilkantha Municipality (Dhading), Dhanushadham Municipality (Dhanusha), Chhireswornath Municipality (Dhanusha), Gaushala Municipality (Mahottari), Lalbandi Municipality (Sarlahi), Ishworpur Municipality (Sarlahi), Thaha Municipality (Makawanpur), Nijgadh municipality (Bara), Khairahani Municipality (Chitwan), Chitrawan Municipality (Chitwan)

Western Region
Suklagandaki Municipality (Tanahun), Bandipur Municipality (Tanahun), Kusma Municipality (Parbat), Resunga Municipality (Gulmi), Sandhikharka Municipality (Arghakhachi), Sunawal Municipality (Nawalparasi), Besisahar Municipality (Lamjung),Gaidakot Municipality (Nawalparasi), Chapakot Municipality (Syangja), Rampur Municipality (Palpa), Kawasoti Municipality (Nawalparasi), Devchuli Municipality(Nawalparasi), Bardaghat Municipality (Nawalparasi), Sainamina Municipality (Nawalparasi), Beni Municipality (Myagdi), Lumbini Sanskriti Municipality (Rupandehi), Devdaha Municipality(Rupandehi), Tillotama Municipality (Rupandehi), Krishannagar Municipality (Kapilvastu), Shivaraj Municipality (Kapilvastu)

Mid-western Region
Kohalpur Municipality (Banke), Sharada Municipality (Salyan), Managalsen Municipality (Achham), Safebagar Municipality (Achham), Rajapur Municipality (Bardiya), Pyuthan Municipality, Dullu Municipality (Dailekh), Chandan Nath Municipality (Jumla)

Far-western Region
Jaya Prithivi Municipality (Bajhang), Lamkichuha Municipality (Kailali), Attariya Municipality (Kailali), Api Municipality ( Darchula), Punarwas Municipality (Kanchanpur), Belauri Municipality ( Kanchanpur)

source: the himalayan times,8 may 2014