Concentrate on innovation as it ensures country's progress

: Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar Tuesday urged faculty and students of NITs to concentrate on innovation as only this would ensure progress and prosperity of the country.

"Prosperity and sustainability are linked with innovation.We need to be the owners of innovation. Development of the nation depends on innovative ability," he said.

Speaking after inaugurating four new buildings at the National Institute of Technology here, he said that academy-industry interactions are very important for development of the country.

The minister said NITs have transformed from Regional Engineering Colleges and are now the pride of the nation, competing with top IITs.

Javadekar said scholarship programmes of the union government like the Prime Minister's Research Fellowship and other schemes has helped reverse the brain drain.