KATHMANDU: Education Minister Mahabir Pun has stated that it would be unethical to allocate a budget to the National Innovation Centre after he assumed office.

Active on social media, Minister Pun shared a video showing the testing of a rice-harvesting machine produced at the Agricultural Tools Factory and made the statement.

He clarified that the factory is already operational even after he became minister. He also specified that the financial resources for the factory came from the sale of his autobiography and donations from benefactors.

“Even though I am a minister, the National Innovation Centre continues to run the Birgunj Agricultural Tools Factory. The financial resources come from the money earned by selling my autobiography and donations from benefactors,” Pun wrote on Facebook.

“As a minister, it would be unethical for me to allocate a budget for the factory. If the previous government had allocated funds, that would have been acceptable, but they didn’t. Future governments may allocate money if needed,” he added.