Bhubaneswar, July 25: Minister of Railways, Communication & Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw in his visit to IIT Bhubaneswar today encouraged students for startup programmes.

Encouraging the students for startup programme, Vaishnaw informed that now India has 74 thousand startups which were mere 400 in 2014-15. Earlier visiting the laboratories of the institute, Vaishnaw felt happy and suggested for new ideas and innovation in the Azadi Mahotsav period.

Vaishnaw also handed over the approval letter of Government of India to IIT Bhubaneswar for inclusion in startup program for chips which will be the 31st institution of the country for preparing semiconductor.

Challenging to the students at IIT Bhubaneswar Vaishnaw said that if the students will provide at least 10 techniques for 5G, then IIT Bhubaneswar will get Center of Excellence to have 5G usages.

Exchanging the ideas with IITians at Bhubaneswar, the minister also said that, IIT Bhubaneswar will tie up with Gati Shakti for railway technology development, if proposals will be received.

Amongst others in the program, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Singh, Chairman and Board of Governor of IIT and Prof. P.V. Satyam, DEAN of IIT Bhubaneswar also spoke on the occasion.