Kathmandu, May 28

A total of 46 local bodies have requested the Federal Government to revise their names, administrative centres and boundaries.

In line with the Local Government Operation Act 2018, the local bodies recently forwarded a proposal to this effect to the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration.

The 46 local bodies include 13 from Province 2, nine from Provicne-1, two from Province 3, three from Province 4, six from Province 5, seven from Province 6 and six from Province 7.

Change needed

Province

Local levels

1

9

2

13

3

2

4

3

5

6

6

7

7

6

Of the total applicants, 36 rural municipalities have sought to change their administrative centres, three wanted to change their names, one sought boundary revision, while three wanted revision of both names as well as administrative centres.

Also, three municipalities wanted to change their administrative centres, while a sub-metropolitan city sought revision of its name. The three municipalities were Kamala Sidddatri (Dhanusha), Chhedagad (Arghakhanchi) and Chumikasthan (Jajarkot).

The only sub-metropolis was Janakpur (Dhanusha). “We have received this kind of request from local level governments to the ministry on a daily basis.” said Prahlad Karki, an under-secretary at the MFAGA. “The government has time and again revised the centres and names of local units.”

According to the LGOA, two-third majority of the local levels meeting can ask the federal government to revise their name, boundary and centre. But they have to come up with the provincial government’s approval. There was an opportunity for the local level that had come before six months of the local level elections because at that time there were no provincial governments.

Sections 3, 4, 5 and 6 of clause 74 of the LGOA and article 295 of the constitution explained the provision of revision of local level names, boundary and centre. “We followed these two documents and sent it to the cabinet for final decision from our ministry.” Karki said.

He informed that Dharche Rural Municipality of Gorkha was the first to come through the provincial government to revise its centre. Karki informed that the MFAGA was preparing to send at least 10 local level bodies for revision at the Cabinet meeting. “He also said that there were lots of mistakes on paper sent by the local level government bodies. In that case the ministry asked them to add a required paper.” he said.