He called on people of the region to use this “enormous opportunity” to shape their future and get rid of the habit of depending on a government job. He said his ministry will launch startup-related awareness programmes across the country from next month. The minister said that ever since Modi has taken over as Prime Minister, space technology is being applied in diverse sectors for “ease of living” for common man. “Space and satellite technology is today being extensively used in railways, road and bridge construction, agriculture, soils, water resources, forestry and ecology, housing, tele-medicine, disaster management and accurate weather forecast to name a few,” Singh said. ISRO Chairman Somnath S said space technology now is an integral part of life, and that safety and security of the nation will depend on how strong it is going to be in the space sector.