Project Concept Note
Project Title: Formulation of National Human Settlement Policy (NHSP), sectoral policies/laws and capacity building for national/local governments.
Background
Bhutan’s urbanization rate is one the highest in the world (7% during 2003-2005). According to the Population and Housing Census of 2005, 31% of the country’s entire population was living in urban areas in 2005. The GNHC’s vision document – “Bhutan 2020: Vision for Peace, Prosperity and Happiness”- estimates that by 2020, 50% of the country’s entire population would live in urban areas, while the Ministry of Works and Human Settlement’s (MoWHS) own research document (Bhutan National Urbanization Strategy) in 2008 found that by 2020, 73% of entire population would move to urban areas. Such a rapid rate of urbanization exerts a tremendous pressure on existing urban infrastructures and services, housing and limited land resource, argiculture land and forests.
The Ministry of Works and Human Settlement is mandated to provide policy guidance on provision of high quality infrastructure and planning services in order to promote safe and healthy human settlement in the country. Realizing the need for a dedicated and professional department to oversee and guide the development in a planned manner, the Royal Government of Bhutan has approved the formation of Department of Human Settlement under the MoWHS. The Department of Human Settlement (DoHS) was formally separated from the Department of Urban
Development and Engineering Services with effect from 1 st December 2011. The new department will not only concentrate its efforts in urban areas but also guide and promote safe and healthy settlements in rural areas across the country.
This DoHS is mandated to “achieve balanced and sustainable development of human settlements,
…, conservation of environmental character and culture, and provision of safe and affordable housing for all”. While the department was formed with broad mandates, , it has yet to have policies on human settlement planning and development in order to address the following challenges.
Challenges
The MoWHS has yet to have a clear policy on human settlement planning and development. This has weakened its functioning and further leads to haphazard and un-regulated settlement and development especially in semi-urban or rural township areas. Bhutan’s urban settlements are even more exposed to various types of environmental risks.Because of the lack of a human settlement policy, the MoWHS is not able to prepare national physical planning laws and related by-laws. Planning laws are required because human settlement and physical planning are very sensitive issues, which necessiates legal backing to protect public and / or national interest. There is an urgent need to prepare the national human settlement policy (NHSP), along with a planning law.
Bhutan is prone to multiple natural hazards, such as earthquakes, floods, landslides, forest fires - and climate change further impact the country’s vulnerable mountain eco-system. The lack of a national human settlement policy increases risks and vulnerabilities related to natural disasters, climate change and environmental sustainability. Rapid urbaniation may for example lead to the loss of prime agriculture land and clearing of forests due to urban expansion. Development will extend to slope terrain with increased risks of natural disasters like landslides and environmental
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degradation. Most towns and urban centres in Bhutan are located along the river valleys, and many as close to the river bank as possible. As the rivers originate from the high glacial fed mountains from the north, almost all the towns situated along the banks are prone to Glacial Lake
Outburst Floods (GLOFs) and flash floods. Settlements are therefore at risk of loss of human lives and damages to social and physical infrastructures, livestocks and properties downstream.
Timeframe and scope of the project
The project shall be divided into three phases. The time frame for the first phase is six to ten months depending up on the availability of the taskforce members for the project. The second phase of the project consists of drafting of sector specific policies such as a housing policy, national planning act and by-laws. The third and the last phase shall include capacity building for local or national agencies in order to implement the policy, laws and by-laws. The scope of phase
2 and 3 will be discussed and designed towards the end of phase 1.
The general scope of the first phase include, but not limited to, the following:
1.
The policy shall be based on environmental sustainability, disaster risk reduction and climate change;
2.
Emerging environmental issue like solid waste management in line with provisions of the relevant laws will be part of the policy,
3.
Salient features of housing policy such as eco-green construction, use of sustainable and local materials, orientation of buildings for utilizing solar heat, etc. shall be integrated in the settlement policy,
4.
The objectives of the policy should be drawn from GNH and its variables including MDGs,
5.
The policy will also integrate watershed management for ensuring sustainable drinking water sources to general public in close coordination with the relevant agencies,
6.
Earthquake resistent construction techniques, and fire proof building, etc will also be featured in the policy,
7.
Rural-urban migration measure through growth centre strategies, economic hub develoment, provision for special economic zone, etc. will be included,
8.
The policy should also compliment protection and conservation of forests and nature in order to fulfill our constitutional requirement and for environmental sustainability,
9.
It will have to create a plat form capable of providing a balancing act amongst the environmental sustainability, food self sufficiency, rich cultural heritage and traditional setting, etc.
The main approach of the policy preparation shall be through the formation of a multi-sector taskforce where the interests of all agencies are represented. The taskforce shall function in line with specific ToR while stakeholder consultation shall be led and facilitaed by the DoHS/MoWHS in coordination with the UNDP.
Expected outcomes (phase 1)
National human settlement policy integrating environmental issues, disaster risk reduction, climate change and housing.
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Project management arrangements
In MoWHS, a part-time Project Director, full-time project manager along with full-time project assistant for administration and management of the project have been appointed in the DoHS.
Office space has been provided along with furniture and one vehicle shall be provided by the
MoWHS on demand or whenever the project office requires it. Services of a project accountant shall be provided by the Accounts Division of the MoWHS. The project office will not only administer and manage the project but also monitor the progress of the project. It will also administer/monitor the multi-sector taskforce whether they are performing in accordance with their road map and agreed ToR.
UNDP Bhutan will provide guidance for phase 1 and seek to involve relevant development partners. UN-Habitat was previously involved in the preparation of a similar project proposal and project document for the MoWHS, and their technical assistance to review and finalize the draft policy will therefore be sought as agreed with the UN Habitat office in Bangkok.
Project organizational set-up
Activities and budget requirements
Expect CT outputs including indicators and 18 months’ target
CT Output 5.2.3
Disaster/climate risk reduction mainstreamed into national policies and plans
Indicator:
Number of plans mainstreaming disaster risk reduction and management
Target:
National Human settlement
Main activities and sub-activities
Main activity 1:
 Formation of multi-sector taskforce and desk research on existing documents
Sub-activities:
1.
Drafting of ToR for the taskforce and designing of road map for preparing a policy by DoHS
2.
Formation of 10-15 member multi-sector
Proposed budget
(in USD)
7,000 taskforce. The taskforce shall be led by a senior officials of the DoHS.
3.
Desk research on various relevant policies,
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policy integrating environmental concerns, DRR and climate change formulated.
4.
5.
acts/laws, strategies and standards.
Workshop with the Thrompons, ES and other municipal authorities.
National workshop with the relevant stakeholders/national agencies
CT Output 5.2.1 Capacity of national focal agencies,
6.
Purchase of basic office equipments for the small project team formed under the DoHS relevant sectors and disaster management authorities at all
Main activity 2:

Draft national human settlement policy levels strengthened to formulated through integration of implement disaster environmental concerns and disaster risk management framework. reductions.
Sub-activities:
Indicators:
1.
Retreat or workshop for the taskforce for
Number of Government preparing a draft (aprox. US$ 10,000) officials trained in Disaster
Multi-sector taskforce retreat at Paro (2 x 1
Risk Reduction week) to formulate draft policy.
2.
Fine tuning exercise (approx. $ 2000.)
Target:
This will be done after making draft presentation to the Ministry/MoWHS,
1.
About 15 national
Cabinet/Government if required, and also taskforce members the other principal stakeholders like Bhutan including some
Chamber of Commerce; Environment, Land participants from local and Urban Development Committee of the governments participating
Parliament. in policy-formulation
3.
Sensitization workshop (US$ 7000). integrating environment
Conducting workshop either region-wise (4 concerns, DRR and climate major regional workshops) or Dzongkhag change. wise (20 workshops) depending upon
2.
All relevant stakeholders availability of budget. Participants include at national, dzongkhag local government leaders including Dasho and municipal levels
Dzongdas, Dzongkhag Tshogdu sensitized in integrating environment concerns, chairpersons, Thromde Thuemis, heads of relevant regional institutions and government regional offices.
19,000
Main activity 3:

Inputs provided and review of the draft policy by UN-Habitat
Ms. Mariko Sato, Chief, UN-Habitat
Bangkok Office,
Telephone No. +66 2 288 1369
-
Fax: +66 2 288 1089
Email:
Regional website
Website: habitatbkk@un.org
www.fukuoka.unhabitat.org
www.unhabitat.org
Total
26,000
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