Kathmandu, May 20
Sociologist Chaitanya Mishra has tendered his resignation from the position of coordinator of the Policy Research Academy, an institute that the government formed last year to provide suggestions on policy issues.
After Mishra resigned from the position in the eighth month of the institutionalisation, the Academy has turned inefficient.
A member of the Academy informs that Mishra resigned from the position as government officials and bureaucrats did not let it work independently.
“He was worried about not being able to work independently from the early months,” the member says, “He was forced to resign as he could not introduce a guideline on staff recruitment.”
The source adds that Mishra had proposed recruiting some researchers, analysts and information management experts, by paying them more than the government officers’ salary. However, his plan had been pushed into limbo as officials of the Ministry of Finance objected to it.
“I think he resigned because he thought how he could contribute to policy formation for the national development as third class officers from a ministry also do not heed his suggestions,” the member informs.
Earlier, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli had assured Mishra that there would not be any political interference in the Academy. Mishra had considered political interference as a major roadblock; hence he was convinced with the Prime Minister’s assurance.
The source says Mishra and his team, however, could not realise the trouble bureaucrats would put in front of his journey.
“We had not imagined that we would have to carry out files at every ministry just to appoint the staff,” the member surmises, “If he had any hint that the bureaucrats would give trouble, he would not accept the PM’s offer.”
Meanwhile, four other members of the Academy–Ganesh Gurung, Surendra Labh, Mina Acharya and Rajendra Dhwaj Chhetri–have said they cannot keep the institute running as Mishra did not hand over the leadership to any of them.
