Patna, March 14 (IANS) The story of Siraj Ansari, hailing from Bihar’s Sheikhpura district, is a testimony to how sincere endeavour, coupled with government assistance, can turn into a life-changing experience for novice entrepreneurs.​

Siraj, despite being a graduate and having worked for a private firm in Delhi, was left jobless during the COVID-19 pandemic. ​

He was forced to do menial work for a livelihood, but today his fledgling enterprise, funded by government assistance, has become talk of the town, inspiring many fellow villagers to follow his footsteps.​

Many youngsters, wandering in search of employment, are in awe of him and want to replicate his feat.​

Siraj built his enterprise with assistance under the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) and is employing many others in the village.​

Notably, the PMEGP is a central government scheme that assists prospective beneficiaries in establishing new microenterprises, primarily with small project costs, facilitated by small loans.​

After completing his studies, Siraj Ansari moved to Delhi, where he worked for a company for nearly four years. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, he was compelled to return to his native village. ​

When he failed to find employment locally, he started a small tent-house business. Due to meagre earnings, he found it difficult to support his family.​

During this period, he learned about the PMEGP scheme from a friend, which offers loans accompanied by subsidies.​

He contacted the concerned department to avail the benefits and secured a loan of approximately ₹10 lakhs in his wife, Yasmin Parveen’s, name.​

With this financial assistance, he established a large tent house warehouse near the New Bus Stand in Sheikhpura city. Today, his business is flourishing; not only is it earning a better livelihood for his family, but it is also providing employment to eight other individuals.​

Speaking to IANS, he expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister and heaped praise on the scheme for helping youth find their footing in the entrepreneurial realm.​

He also appealed to young people to stop wandering in search of jobs and instead take advantage of government schemes to start their own ventures and become self-reliant.​

–IANS

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