Seize start-up sector opportunities instead of govt jobs: Jitendra Singh

Union Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh on Friday urged youngsters to seize opportunities in the start-up sector and give wings to their ideas instead of looking for government jobs.

Interacting with students and young start-up entrepreneurs, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had accorded priority to start-ups and said he was taking personal interest in encouraging the youngsters in the emerging sector.

"All these young minds must realise the huge potential in the start-up sector and instead of settling down to government jobs, they must seize the opportunity to launch start-ups and also create jobs," Singh said during his visit to the National Technology Week exhibition at Pragati Maidan here.

He said before 2014, there were just 350-400 start-ups but after the launch of Start-Up India initiative by Modi in 2016, their number has exceeded one lakh.

The MoS interacted with a large number of school children visiting the exhibition and urged them to take cue from the various start-up entrepreneurs making headway in niche sectors.

The celebration of National Technology Day was started by former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 1999 to honour Indian scientists, engineers and technologists, who worked for India's scientific and technological advancement and ensured the successful conduct of nuclear tests at Pokhran in May 1998.

The National Technology Week celebration was inaugurated by Modi on Thursday where 12 central ministries were showcasing a wide range of scientific innovations.