Kathmandu, Feb 15 : Minister for Urban Development Ram Kumari Jhankri has said the Ministry was preparing to introduce a new act on urban infrastructure so that well managed settlements could be developed.    
    
Addressing a programme organized on the occasion of the 34th anniversary of Municipal Development Trust in the federal capital on Monday, Minister Jhankri informed that government had kept in priority the well managed settlement and necessary bill for this was being developed with experts' suggestion.    
    
Budget for the projects ranging the cost from Rs 500 thousand to Rs 1 billion was being sought at the Ministry for urban development, she said, adding that the projects costing some Rs 16 billion for municipal development were registered in the Ministry in the last four months alone.    
    
On the occasion, Ministry Secretary Maniram Gelal informed that the Trust was active to provide financial and technical assistance to the municipalities.    
    
Similarly, Natural Resources Division and Financial Commission Chairperson Balanand Poudel, and Nepal Municipalities' Federation Chairperson Ashok Byanju pointed out the need for coordination between the consumer committee and the Trust for the development of local level.    
    
According to executive director at Trust Krishna Prasad Sapkota, the projects of some Rs 5 billion were being implemented with the collaboration of various 88 municipalities across the country.