Bhubaneswar, Mar 26 (PTI) Optimistic about Bhubaneshwar emerging as the knowledge capital of eastern India, the National Innovation Council (NIC) today urged the government to set up State Innovation Council, evoking positive response from the chief minister.NIC's Chairman Sam Pitroda gave this suggestion to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik during a meeting at the state secretariat.Acknowledging the plenty opportunities to build a knowledge city here, Pitroda said the state capital already boasted of institutes like IIT, IIIT, NISER, National Institute of Life Science and universities.Hence, Pitoda said, it would not be difficult to build a knowledge city where IT, eco-system infrastructure, real estate, finance and health facilities would be available and the proposed knowledge city would function as a centre for innovation."The venture could attract foreign investments and become centre for research and development in eastern India," Pitroda told the chief minister."We welcome Pitroda's suggestions. The state government will soon take steps in this regard," Patnaik said.In the proposed state innovation council, Pitroda said, experts in engineering, science, mathematics, medical and other fields could be taken as members and the council would prepare road map for development of state's core competence.Pitroda also suggested to the chief minister to make one of the universities of either Bhubaneswar or Cuttack as an 'Innovation University' of the country.The NIC had proposed setting up of 14 Innovation Universities in the country.