Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday urged the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) students to accept the challenge of arranging for providing green fodder for animals and cheaper alternatives to plastic.

Kick-starting the 'Start-up Grand Challenge' project, PM Modi said that the IIT students should associate with it and provide solutions to the problem while appealing to the students to come forward with new thoughts and ideas. The government will consider the ideas and proposals with full seriousness and will surely invest in them, leading to creation of employment opportunities, the Prime Minister said.

Modi said that several start-ups can be initiated which can give solutions to numerous problems like that can be a cheap and accessible alternative to plastic bags. ''We need new techniques to expand the dairy sector of the nation. These innovations should also come from our rural society and hence, the Start-up Grand Challenge is being started today,'' he added.

The PM said that the plastic is posing a major threat to our environment and also threatening life of animals and aquatic organisms. ''We will have to get rid of plastic,'' he said.

Appealing to the people to get rid of plastic from their home, office and purview of work, the PM said that non-government organisations, schools, colleges, women organisations and other institutions should also associate with this drive as this will brighten the future of children.

Modi said that plastic waste will be recycled after collection and that which cannot be recycled, will be used in cement factories and road construction. He said that plastic bottles will not be used in government programmes and will be replaced by clay or metal utensils. He said that innovation is needed for the expansion of dairy and increase milk production. Green fodder is needed to increase milk production.