Nepal is bound to stride at a higher level of development trajectory the next decade or so. The national development goals and the positive trends in major contributing factors strongly support to this optimism. Four major interrelated trends should be watched, analyzed, understood and used for Nepal’s growth and development. These trends are related to urbanization, youth population, access to technology especially the proliferation information and communication technology, remittance and returnee migrants and the increasing ownership of development by the local governments. Urbanization may or may not be happening in functional terms but the aspirations are clearly expressed in the new delineation and designations of local governments. Reducing number of local governments from nearly four thousand units to seven hundred fifty is an important commitment to make these units resourceful...

- Jagadish C. Pokharel, Ph. D , Chairman