Felicitating student innovators from various schools across Gujarat, Union Minister of State for Electronics and IT, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar today said the young innovators of today will be the drivers of the Indian economy tomorrow.

 “We look upon the young citizens of the country to be the key players in India’s development journey. They are the foundations on which Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji’s idea of New India, is being laid,” he said, giving away certifications to 75 young innovators who had trained under the Centre’s Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL) scheme.

The Minister said that India of today is a land of opportunities and the Government has made it easier for the students to avail of those opportunities by adopting well calibrated policies and schemes. He appreciated the SSIP Student Startup Innovation policy of Gujarat Govt which intends to encourage innovation in schools and colleges.

“You are extremely lucky to be students at a time when we are moving into a Techade of opportunities. You need to focus on Skills, upskilling to have a strong portfolio of knowledge,” Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar said and spoke of how the National Education Policy 2020 has given flexible options and given a priority place to Skills along with education and knowledge.

About the Atal Tinkering Labs, named after Hon’ble ex-Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ji, Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar said ATL are truly working as gateways to innovation and technology and promoting a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in schools.

Referring to yesterday’s launch of Semiconductor India Future Design Program, by the Central and Gujarat government initiative, the Minister said it aims at targeting the future entrepreneurs in semiconductor and futuristic electronics. “We have been exporting these instruments for the past 30 years; with this initiative we hope to make them indigenously,” he added.

Later Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar met industry leaders, entrepreneurs, at a meeting convened by the Confederation of Industries in India (CII) and shared with them Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji’s vision of New India and how they can closely collaborate to support the fast expanding startup ecosystem in the state.

 He cited how 9 industry leaders have responded to the pitch that the Minister has made visiting almost all regions of Gujarat in the last 3 months. Industry leaders in Surat, Ahmedabad, Rajkot have come forward and formed venture funds to the tune of Rs 1500 Crore to support the startup ecosystem in the state.

He also informed them about how demand for skilled people is increasing both in India as well as abroad & encouraged them to support Up-Skilling & Re-Skilling  of  employees in their enterprises.

YP/GP/JD

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