Kathmandu, March 1 -- Nepal may have defused the population bomb, but its cities and towns are bursting at the seams.

Federalism was supposed to improve rural living standards through more accountable governance. Failure to achieve this has accelerated rural outmigration.

The 2021 census showed that Nepal's population declined by 10% in the last decade. The total fertility rate has fallen below the 2.1% replacement level, and that could be a problem in the future. But for now, it is the continuous emptying of mountain districts that is assuming crisis proportions.

None of the three levels of government seem to have internalised the gravity of this situation, let alone devised a strategy to reverse the trend.

Most internal migration is...