Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2026
Abstract
In Nepal, landless populations can broadly be categorized into two groups: urban squatters and rural landless families. Each group can further be distinguished by its level of political connection and access to power.
Among urban squatters, politically connected groups often occupy open public spaces in cities with some degree of protection or tolerance from political parties. In contrast, less powerful urban squatters usually settle on public land because they cannot afford formal housing. These settlements are commonly located in unsafe or marginal areas, such as riverbanks, flood-prone zones, and unused public spaces. Despite these risks, many remain in urban areas because cities offer greater access to employment opportunities.
Similarly, rural landless families also vary according to their political connections. Those linked to powerful political actors may occupy Ailani (unregistered) land or other forms of unregistered public land. By contrast, rural landless families without such connections are more likely to settle in remote, degraded forest areas or other marginal lands where tenure remains insecure.
Rural landless families have limited income-generating opportunities beyond farming on public land and, in some cases, clearing forests for cultivation. Many live on open public land while relying primarily on agriculture for survival. In Nepal, both categories of landless populations are commonly referred to as Sukumbasi. This paper focuses primarily on the latter category of rural landless families, which has remained a major concern of the state for several decades.
The central argument of this historical review is that the Sukumbasi question in Nepal is not best explained by the absence of policy, but rather by the lack of institutional continuity.
The paper reviews the historical trajectory of the Sukumbasi issue chronologically and analytically and proposes smart-settlement approaches as possible pathways toward its resolution.
Language
English
Publisher
NA
Recommended Citation
Bhattarai, Keshav and Ambika P. Adhikari. "A Historical Analysis of the Squatter Settlements (Sukumbasi) in Nepal and the Role of Smart Settlements." (2026). https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/nsc_research/123
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