Nepal started development activities on a planned basis since mid fifties Since then various government agencies were created to facilitate the development activities. In this context the Department of Local Development was created under the then Home & Panchayat Ministry in 1971. The Department was upgraded as Ministry of Local Development in 1980. The ministry was renamed as the Ministry of Panchayat and Local Development in 1981. Again the Ministry underwent some changes in the nomenclature and was the named Ministry of Local Development in 1990.The Ministry since then has inherited the present organization structure and functions.