Bihar worker finds mention in PM Modi’s ‘Maan ki Baat’

Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi on Sunday lauded the efforts of migrant worker, Pramod Baitha, in his monthly radio address ‘Mann ki Baat’ while sharing the examples of individuals who have been striving towards self-reliant India.

“I am happy that this mantra of self-reliance is reaching every village in the country... Pramodji (Pramod Baitha), a native of Bettiah, was a technician at a factory manufacturing LED bulbs in Delhi. He understood the whole processes minutely while working there. But during the pandemic, he had to return to his native place. He himself started a small manufacturing unit,” said the PM in 74th edition of ‘Mann ki Baat’ .

“He took along a team of local youths and achieved the journey from a factory worker to a factory owner in a few months,” said the PM.

Baitha, a resident of Majhauliya block in West Champaran who was a migrant labourer till last year, utilised Covid as opportunity to turn into an entrepreneur after he set up the LED bulb manufacturing unit at his village.

“This decision to set up the unit was not an easy one. For past 10 years, I have worked for different factories in Delhi, keeping my heart and soul together,” said Baitha, who started his unit in May last year with his hard earned money.

Within the few months after setting up of the unit, the unit started to get good response.

“Encouraged by the response, we procured some other equipment. Yet we are unable to meet all the demands owing to crunch in capital. Against the requirement of 10,000 LED bulbs, we are supplying 1,000 only. We will certainly be able to produce more, if we receive any assistance from government,” Baitha, who has engaged eight people at his manufacturing unit.

“There is no reason to move outside our native place in search of work when we are earning between ₹400 and ₹500 every day here only,” said Rohit Kumar, a labourer at the factory.

Baitha has been procuring raw materials from Delhi and other parts of Uttar Pradesh. “We also repair the fused bulbs at the unit,” he added.

West Champaran recorded a footfall 84,019 migrants, above 18 years, following an ease in the nationwide lockdown in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic. Later, with the efforts of district administration, about 90 returnee workers set up their manufacturing units and over 150 others expressed their willingness for making assortments in footwears and apparel.