Srinagar, Apr 30: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday addressed the 100th episode of his radio talk show ‘Mann Ki Baat’ in which he praised the successful journey of Kashmiri businessman Manzoor Allie who runs a manufacturing unit of pencils in Oukhoo village of Pulwama in south Kashmir that is providing jobs to over 200 people.
In his tweet, PM Modi said, “We have celebrated many inspiring life journeys of self-reliance through MannKiBaat. Today, spoke to the remarkable Manzoor Ahmad Ji from Jammu and Kashmir who makes pencils which have travelled globally.
Ending the 100th episode of his radio show Mann Ki Baat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that he hoped “what started with Mann Ki Baat will become a new tradition in the country”.
During the program, PM mentioned many old memories and spoke to Manzoor Ahmad over the phone and stated that it is a great feeling to know his success story.
Manzoor Ahmad mentioned how he was able to uplift his slate business after being talked about by the PM during one of the episodes of Mann Ki Baat, saying, “It is going very well sir.
“ Ever since you mentioned our Man Ki Baat in Mann ki Baat programme, work has increased a lot since then and employment for others has also increased a lot in this work,” Manzoor said.
“Over 200 people are employed, and we aim to employ two hundred more. Farmers also benefited. The tree of two thousand has now become the tree of five thousand. The demand has increased so much. Recognition is also being received,” he said.
Manzoor said even the farmers who are here, got a lot of benefit from this. They used to sell a tree for 2000, now it has reached 5000. Demand has increased a lot in this since then… and it has also gained its own identity.
“I have many orders for this, now I am going to expand further in one or two months and cover two to four villages, taking 200 to 250 boys and girls who can be adjusted in this and they can carry on with their livelihood,” he said.
Born and brought up in Oukhoo village of Pulwama, Manzoor’s father worked as timber loader at a local depot where he earned Rs 100 to 150 per day.
“The daily earnings of my father were too meagre to support the family and after passing Matric exams in 1996 and decided to join my father as a timber loader to augment the family income.”
In 1997, we sold a piece of ancestral land which fetched us Rs 75,000. I persuaded his father to start a bandsaw where we initially made fruit boxes out of soft Poplar wood.
Manzoor told Rising Kashmir that it is a proud movement for him and the entire Jammu and Kashmir. I began my journey in 2009 and set up a band-saw mill in Pulwama and started making wooden apple boxes.
“I also started supplying poplar wood logs to a pencil-manufacturing factory in Jammu, which marked the beginning of my career as a young successful entrepreneur,” he said.
Manzoor said during October 25, 2020, Manzoor Allie’s success story was shared by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his monthly radio broadcast Maan Ki Baat.
“That time I was not aware and was informed by one of my friends that my success story was shared by PM in his monthly radio broadcast Maan Ki Baat,” he said.
After that I got an idea about manufacturing the pencil blocks and I sent the first shipment of blocks to the company in 2011 and it was widely appreciated.
“After few years, Manzoor learned to manufacture pencil slates, delivered copious supplies to Hindustan Pencils, a leading pencil company manufacturing popular pencil brands –Natraj and Apsara brands,” he said.
Manzoor says he is satisfied with the business and is providing job opportunities to others as well. Around 200 people are working in our unit and I am planning to expand it to more villages and provide employment to more than 200 persons.
Manzoor’s village Oukhoo has 17-18 units and 4,000 employees. In 2021, as per a report by Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said Oukhoo village is meeting India’s 90 per cent pencil requirement.
“Oukhoo village of Pulwama is all set to receive the tag. It is now proceeding apace to become a manufacturing hub. 90 % of the country’s pencil slate is manufactured here and reaches different parts of the country. On the initiative of the central government, Oukhoo village of Pulwama is being given the tag of Pencil Wala Gaon,” the report said.
