Scope and Trend of Urbanization in
Madhesh
Er. Kishore K. Jha
Consulting Engineer/Planner
Paper to be presented in a conference on
Role of NGOs/INGOs in Developing Madhesh
Kathmandu, Nepal.
Organized by: Non-Resident Madheshis Association
November 14 & 15, 2011
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THE PRELUDE
Historical Past of Madhesh
- Gifting of territory by British
- Colonization, Marginalization, Discrimination,….of Madheshis
- Movements: muliparty democracy 2046, madheshi uprising 2063
Concurrent State of
Affairs
The Way Forward
Paradigm Shift in Approach to
- Constitution Making
Process..Federal
Development
Structure..Autonomy
1. Analyzing Scope and Trend of
- Obama vs. Dr. Ram B Yadav
Urbanization
- Composition of Present Cabinet . 2. Prioritizing Urban Investment
What is in the offering for common
Areas – promoting economic
Madheshi??
growth for both urban and rural
areas.
- Low agricultural productivity,
increased migration from
3. Adopting Inclusive Regional
hills/mountain
Development Strategy
Role of NGOs/INGOs/Development Partners & Actors/ Intellingentia
/CivilSociety /Investors&Entreprenuers…..Political Leadership
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3
4
Remittances in Nepal–
NLSS III 2011
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Consumption Pattern, Nepal–
NLSS III 2011
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Nepal: HH & Per Capita Income –
NLSS III 2011
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Employment Pattern –
NLSS III 2011
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Demographic Structure –
NLSS III 2011
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Access to Facilities –
NLSS III 2011
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Urbanization??? –
Urbanization, is defined as the
percentage of total population
living in settlements designated
as urban areas.
Urbanization vs. Economic
Growth (positively associated with real
per capita income. (the World Bank)
Spatial transformations
accelerate growth –reallocation of
labor and capital from traditional (rural)
sectors to modern (urban) sectors.
Agglomeration and Clustering households and firms benefit from scale
economies, mobility, and specialization.
Increased urbanization
economic
growth
job creation
poverty
reduction
Increased urbanization .
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Urbanization - The Asian Experiences
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•
•
•
•
Urban Population in Asia is growing faster than ever before –
1.1 billion more Asian (half of total) will be living in urban area
by 2030 than 2005 – 44 million people every year.
Rapid urbanization has been the key drivers of Asia’s
dynamic growth, and of the poverty reduction.
East Asia’s urban population produces 92% of its wealth,
South Asia’s urbanites produce 75% of wealth.
But one third of Asia’s absolute poor (less than $1 a day) live
in urban areas- population of slum dwellers will grow by
average 110 million people. Asian Cities are earth’s worst
polluters.
Aligning transport and urban land use planning is the most
important action for sustainable and liveable Asian cities.
ffer 12
Urbanization vs Sectors of Economy
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•
•
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Urbanization Pattern is contingent on economic sector
– services cluster more in larger cities and
manufacturing into smaller cities or newer towns.
Nearly 6 percent of the urban population lives in the
largest cities in India, which is double in comparison to
China.
China has many smaller cities than India, as it has a
bigger manufacturing sector compared to India.
India which is among the most densely populated
countries in the world, is also among the least urbanized.
Despite rapid economic growth, the urbanization rate
remains low at less than 30 percent( 29% of its
population, and the CIA Fact Book estimates it growing
at 2.4% ), compared to 40 percent in China.
ffer 13
Urban Growth Patterns in Nepal
Parameters
Number of Urban Areas (Nepal)
Number of Urban Areas (Tarai)
Urban Population - Nepal ('000)
Urban Population - Nepal (%)
Urban Growth Rate (% per annum)
National Population Growth Rate
1. Hierrarchial Level of Municipalities
1961
16
11
336
3.6
4.4
1.65
1971
16
11
462
4
3.23
2.07
1981
23
14
957
6.4
7.55
2.66
1991
33
21
1696
9.2
5.89
2.1
2001
58
29
3228
14.2
6.65
2.25
2011
58
29
4500
17.1
3.38
1.4
1. Metropolis, popln. > 300,000, annual revenue NRs. > 400m :
Kathmandu, 2. Sub Metropolis, popln. > 100,000, annual revenue
NRs. 100m: Biratnagar, Birgunj, Lalitpur & Pokhara. 3.
Municipalities -Tarai, popln. > 20,000, annual revenue NRs. 5m. 4.
Municipalities -Hills/Mountain, popln. > 10,000, annual revenue
NRs o.5m: total 29 (27 + 2) nos.
2. The National Urban Policy (2007) sets threshold population of 5,000 for any settlement to be termed as ‘town’.
Accordingly, small town could be defined as: § Population 5,000 to 40,000 (Hills and Terai), § Road Access – located
on a road linked to the strategic road network , Basic Infrastructure – at least one lower secondary school and a
health post, in addition to grid electricity, basic telecom, banking etc. However, 145 “large” rural settlements with
more than 10,000 population each in 1991 have been considered as most likely future municipalities, and included
as urban area.
3. Based on above, that is by adding the projected population of 145 emerging towns, the total urban population is
estimated 27% as of 2011.
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Regional Distribution of Urban Areas (Municipalities) in Nepal
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Urbanization in Nepal
• Nepal remains one of the least urbanized countries in the world
and also in South Asia. Absence of strong correlation between
urbanization and economic growth – high dependency on traditional
agriculture as a source of livelihood.
• Existing urban areas were neither well developed nor well
connected in terms of their geographical distribution – towns
created for exploitation rather than facilitating growth of its rural hinterland.
• The concept of "urbanization" is misunderstood, and
misinterpreted - misguided assumptions about the continuation of rural
economic predominance - potential of urbanization as a necessary
contemporary force in national socio-economic development has been ignored
or dismissed. by national planners -has completely ignored the spatial reality
of rural-urban interdependence
• National Planning Authority should gain political support to
formulate a national urbanization policy for an immediate and
measurable development impact.
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Transportation and Economic Linkages - External
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Transportation and Economic Linkages - Internal
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Potentials and Challenges of Urbanization- the
context of Madhesh
Neither the goals of increased agricultural productivity and income expansion
nor those of greater equity in income distribution can be attained without
increasing the interaction among villages, market towns, intermediate cities and
metropolitan areas.
Substantial movement of people from the mountain and hilly regions to the Terai
have been observed. Greater population concentrations in the Terai may result
in over-utilization of arable land. Considering that it would be very difficult to
check this migration, the incoming populations need to be diverted into nonlandbased productive activities in the agro-industrial and agro-commercial
sectors
The number of emerging urban centers and smaller towns (market towns along
EW Highway and nodal centers in rural hinterland) evidence increasing trend
towards urbanization. The newly formed urban nodes and the expanding urban
centres are essential for the continued expansion of agricultural productivity and
diversification.
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Potentials and Challenges …… continued
These newly formed market centres and service delivery nodes in time will
become small- and medium-size urban centres, further stimulating the on-going
agro-commercialization and agro-industrialization processes in Nepal. These
urban centres are also essential for meeting the increased demand for goods
and services of the agricultural labour force.
The combined effects of the expansion of agro-commercialization (via
formation of market centres) and the availability of goods and services (via
formation of urban services nodes) will be the industrialization of the
agricultural sector through increases in technological agro-product innovations.
Urban areas and towns lack basic infrastructure services. Safe drinking water
supplies and electricity are inadequate in urban areas and towns, a situation
that is endemic nationwide. There is virtually no sanitary waste disposal
system, and solid waste systems are extremely inadequate. Urban road
conditions are dilapidated. None of the urban areas has a functioning stormwater drainage system. The price of land and housing have been at the mercy
of speculative market without adhering to quality supply of urban land, and
there is a scarcity of financial resources for investment.
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Proposed Urban Economic Growth Regions
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Role of NGOs/INGOs
Advocacy for promoting urban roles and functions as the engine
of growth, based on following premises;
(i) Urban areas drive economic growth
(ii) Urban areas offer more employment opportunities, help reduce poverty and
promote equity.
(iii) Urban areas exert influence over surrounding areas by attracting people,
goods and capital;
(iv) The hinterland connection to its urban hub/or centers is essential to fully
unleash economic potential of the respective urban economic regions
(v) Urban Rural links are symbiotic rather than dichotomus.
Following preventive measures are recommended to address the
menace of unplanned urbanization:
(i) Generating awareness among the communities regarding the irregular
expansion of urbanization,
(ii) Organising various activities to communicate in relation to environment and
health, using the media campaign through radio, TV, papers, journals and
pamphlets,
(iii) Facilitating NGOs/INGOs to participate in operation and management of urban
infrastructure and services following public-private partnership approach.
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Thank you!!!
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