Petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan has inaugurated the academic session of the first batch of five-year integrated M Tech course in chemical engineering at the Institute of Chemical Technology (ITC) - IndianOil Bhubaneswar campus.

The Bhubaneswar campus is an extension of the reputed ICT, Mumbai, in partnership with IOCL.

Pradhan urged the aspiring and energetic youngsters to focus more on entrepreneurship and become employers rather than employees to be able to play a greater role in the nation-building. He said the prime minister’s vision for a new India is to increase the GDP through industrialisation, employment generation and raising the living standards of people in eastern India through creation of a hub of industries based on local resources catering to all sections of society.

IOCL chairman Sanjiv Singh said, “We in IOCL have implemented many projects worth crores of rupees, including our latest refinery at Paradip, but it is a special feeling to be associated with this academic institution, which will mould thousands of youngsters who would lead the Petroleum and Chemicals sectors of tomorrow.”

The ICT- IndianOil Bhubaneswar campus was formally inaugurated by president Ram Nath Kovind through video conferencing on March 18 this year.