National 7 (Spotlight Weekly)

Innovative Thinking

After a long wait, this vital sector has received government attention, but results remain to be seen

By NIRAJ POUDYAL

The history of today's highly developed countries is replete with instances of how governments encouraged scientific and technological thoughts and implemented them through proper planning and implementation.

"The scientific capability of a country is a crucial factor in the production of wealth," says Dr. Dayananda Bajracharya, vice-chancellor of Royal Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (RONAST), in a recent newspaper article.

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However, Nepal still lacks proper and suitable policies on science and technology. Only about 1 percent of the national budget is invested annually in this sector, whereas developed nations invest more than 5 percent of their gross domestic product. Few Nepalese leaders seem to be aware that speedy industrial, educational and developmental revolution require greater emphasis on scientific and technological progress, including appropriate investment. Not a single five-year plan has given sufficient emphasis to science and technology. The Tenth Plan, too, seems to ignore the sector.

"Science and technology alone cannot develop a nation. But a nation without science and technology cannot be developed," says Dr. Bajracharya. Instead of producing scientists who can invent technology suitable to local needs and conditions, the government's policies are actually discouraging creativity.

Some rays of hope have arisen after Minister for Science and Technology Dr. Upendra Devkota released new policies and programs at a press conference two weeks ago. The new policies seem to have taken the main aim of spreading the outcome of maximum utilization of modern scientific and technological inventions to the lower level where most of the poor people live.

At the press conference, Dr. Devkota assured that a working committee would be formed to study ways of inspiring scientists and technologists to improve their knowledge and skills, and make recommendations to the ministry within two months. It was also informed that the ministry has already started work on amending the policies on this sector. The policy on biotechnology, whose formation is still going on, will be announced within a month.

The program says that installation of a 1,000 organic gas plants, five small hydropower units, 9,000 solar home electricity systems and 22,000 improved stoves will be completed this fiscal year. The policy includes the provision of initiating DNA testing in Rastriya Bidhibigyan Laboratory within a year. To expand awareness of science and technology the government will try to attract the private sector to construct planetarium and science museum at Kirtipur finally developing them as a science park. The ministry will step up emphasis on information technology and on starting study centers. A government web site will be started within a month.

The policy further says that the ministry will cooperate with the Ministry of Information and Communication to widen Internet access by providing subsidiary in telephone call for Internet node in or around the district headquarters.

RONAST will be gradually diverted to concentrate on studying Himalayan range and hills of national specialties, their natural and ecological importance and conservation and utilization of bio-diversity.

It is also said that a system will gradually be developed to provide information of weather to the farmers and general public. Stating that establishment of rural information centers will be further accentuated, the program says that 15 such centers will be started within this fiscal year.

Although the nation is far from building its own strong scientific and technological base through massive investment in research and development, the new policies, if implemented properly, can be expected to bring a bit of change in a sector that has waited far too long for its turn.