'Youth participation should be increased in urban development

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Oct. 8: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Urban Development, Prakash Man Singh, has emphasized the need to increase youth participation in urban development. 

Speaking at an event organised on the occasion of World Habitat Day, Minister Singh highlighted the government's commitment to ensuring the constitutional right of citizens to housing. 

Minister Singh emphasised that young people, being a significant, dynamic, and powerful segment of the population, should be provided with appropriate education, employment skills, and job opportunities to harness their creative potential for the broader national interest as well as urban development.

He said that the Ministry of Urban Development is working to guarantee access to organised housing through programmes like the People’s Housing Programme, the Safe Citizens Housing Programme, and the Settlement Development Programme, aiming to provide well-planned housing to rural communities as well.

Singh acknowledged that the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030 aims for inclusive and sustainable economic growth, creation of dignified employment opportunities, and making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.

He stated that federal, provincial, and local governments are actively working towards achieving these goals.

Minister Singh said that the 16th periodic plan, along with federal, provincial, and local government policies, programmes, and budgets give high priority to this agenda.

The Ministry of Urban Development, its departments of urban development and building construction, local infrastructure development, and other related bodies are prioritising programmes focused on developing employment-generating and productive infrastructure, he said. 

This year's theme for World Habitat Day, which addresses various challenges of growing urbanisation, has provided an opportunity to highlight youth participation in sustainable urban development. 

Minister Singh reiterated the government's commitment to continuously promote youth involvement in urban development initiatives.