The newly formed Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation is currently in a hurry to build its infrastructure and lay the legal foundation. Under the leadership of Mahavir Pun, the ministry has completed the work of the organizational structure (O&M) and has started its homework with the aim of linking research with production and market. 

According to the spokesperson of the ministry, Monica Jha, the work of initial management is currently underway in the ministry. She said that initially, the ministry faced a lack of basic mechanisms such as administration and accounting when going into the new setup. She said that only about 15 employees are available out of the currently approved 24 positions, which is causing difficulties in daily work. “The first priority is to complete the O&M survey and get it approved by the Council of Ministers,” she said. “It will be easier to figure out how to move forward after the new fiscal year begins.” 

However, Minister Pun’s working style this time too has been strange like the previous times. Pun was the education minister in the previous Sushila Karki-led government. This time too, he has been sleeping in the building where the former Sports Ministry is located in Singha Durbar and engaging in research and discussions there. On Sunday, he posted a video of himself cooking vegetables from the reed shoots brought by his friends from the village. "Even after posting this much, I have enough money to eat rice for three to four days," he wrote in the caption. In the same post, he also gave a blunt response to those who questioned and criticized him.

After the ministry's secretary Pramila Devi Shakya Vajracharya retired on Wednesday (Ashar 16), Minister Pun surprised everyone by posting an advertisement on Facebook saying, "Experienced, hardworking and capable secretary needed." Although it is usually the practice for ministry secretaries to be transferred after the decision of the Council of Ministers, Pun openly called out, "Is anyone interested?", causing laughter and surprise in the administrative circle. He later clarified, saying, "Those who are willing to come from among the currently working secretaries should come, and appointments will be made as per the rules."

Pun, who was sitting in his office on Tuesday afternoon and was busy with his mobile phone, had posted on Facebook in the evening, pointing out that the 'Science and Technology Service' was missing from the Civil Service Act, which is in the process of being amended. He has made a list and sought public suggestions, saying that subjects like space technology, biotechnology, AI, and robotics should be included under this service. Pun has already made a demand to add information technology-related services to the Civil Service Act, and said that there have been discussions about including the Science and Technology Service.

Informing that the work on the organizational structure of the ministry has been completed, he informed that it will now be taken to the Council of Ministers meeting. He also said that the work on drafting 5 important bills that are essential for the functioning of the ministry has now begun and that it will take at least 4 months for that. ‘The ministry’s goal is to create and operate innovation hubs for the public and innovation labs for students in universities,’ he told Kantipur. ‘The reason we are having difficulty doing this is that we do not have laws. The first priority is to make laws.’ 

Pun said that the formulation of the Science, Technology and Innovation Act, the Advanced Industrial Technology Promotion Act, the Chemical Substances Management Act, and the amendment of the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) Act, 2048 BS are priorities. ‘We are going to make amendments to the NAST Act that are not relevant to the current times,’ he said. ‘My work right now is to hold discussions and meetings with various stakeholders in the ministry since morning, and listen to their views.’

Minister Pun said that preparations are underway to convert academic research at universities into ‘applied research’ (practical research) and support those who want to become entrepreneurs from that. He plans to establish separate 'innovation labs' in universities and colleges, in addition to academic labs, and to encourage private sector labs as well. He has put forward the concept of a separate 'innovation center' to include talents who do not have formal education but have new thoughts and ideas in the villages. Minister Pun has expressed his commitment to prepare a solid legal basis during his tenure, even though it will take time to formulate laws. 

Spokesperson Jha informed that the ministry is trying to create a separate 'ecology' of science and technology in addition to making policies. She said that while research conducted in Nepal is currently limited to publications, now the ministry will focus on converting it into products and services that will bring direct changes to the lives of the common man. 

According to Spokesperson Jha, having a minister with a technical background has made it easier to explain his point to the employees. She said that the ministry has set a long-term goal of bringing back Nepali scientists abroad and preventing the talents here from emigrating by creating jobs.