Newly appointed Minister for Education, Science, and Technology Mahavir Pun has officially assumed his duties. On Monday, he took the oath of office and secrecy at Sheetal Niwas and then proceeded to the ministry at Singha Durbar to take charge.
Speaking after assuming office, Minister Pun stated that he would not use the ministerial quarters or government-provided services unnecessarily and would restrict the ministry’s vehicle use strictly to official purposes.
He said, “I do not need the ministerial quarters. The instruction I want to give to the Secretary right now is to set up just one room, with a bed, a table, and a chair. I am used to working wherever I am posted. I can even cook for myself. I have told the security personnel that they do not need to follow me outside the ministry. Since I do not have my own car, I will use the ministry vehicle only for commuting. I will not use it for personal trips.”
He also emphasized that committees should not exist in name only, and even small tasks must be substantive. “It is not enough to just create a committee. First, we must find financial resources. The common bottleneck in the ministry has always been lack of funds. There should be no committee in name only. Committees should not just hold a few meetings and stop work because of financial constraints. Being listed as a member on a visiting card is not enough. Whatever work we do, it must be concrete, no matter how small.”
Acknowledging his limited knowledge of the Education Act, he stressed the need for honest and expert advice. “I do not know much about the Education Act. I do not know how it was formulated. I will form a team of experts for this. We will move forward based on their suggestions. I am not saying everything has to be as I dictate. Today, I call upon all experts to give their recommendations honestly. We should pool everyone’s intellect and move forward together.”
He further stated that the Ministry of Science has not made significant progress so far, and promised that concrete work will be undertaken within the next six months.
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