Compact Rural Settlements Development Strategy for Nepal: A Policy Brief

The inhabitants in the dispersed settlements in rural areas of Nepal show a distinct gradient in their living conditions largely governed by the degree to which they have access to resources, information, and services. The high production oriented villages with reliable access to markets and services are relatively densely clustered and seem to have progressed well due to high accessibility, agricultural intensification, and access to services and technologies. In contrast, there are many small settlements with only few houses that are not as fortunate to have these opportunities for progress. Most of such villages have limited agricultural activities cultivating single crop and can normally be accessed by foot path. The predicament of present day Nepal is that a large number of populations still live in these scattered villages and isolated settlements. Physical inaccessibility have deprived them of the basic amenities such as adequate shelter, water supply, health services, education, information, and rescue and relief at the time of need. They are generallyamong the poorest

National Planning Commission

UN-Habitat Nepal

2013

English

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