KATHMANDU: Independent lawmaker Mahabir Pun on Wednesday urged the government to allocate one percent of capital expenditure for research and development (R&D).
Speaking during discussions on the government’s annual policy and programme for the fiscal year 2026/27 in the House of Representatives, Pun welcomed the government’s decision to establish a Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation.
However, he stressed that the new ministry must be backed by adequate budget allocation to make meaningful progress in scientific research and innovation.
“Now, budget allocation should follow according to necessity. A proposal should come to allocate one percent of capital expenditure for research and development,” Pun said.
Citing examples of developed countries investing up to five percent of their gross domestic product (GDP) in research and development, he argued that Nepal cannot achieve breakthroughs in scientific research with minimal funding.
Pun also drew the government’s attention to the need to increase teacher quotas in community schools to improve the quality of public education.
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