Mail News Service
Jamshedpur, April 11: An educated young man, Bhagwat Mardi of Potka did what every other rural youth armed with education does – go knocking at the doors of every job opportunity. While others give up hope midway and resign themselves to petty jobs or migrate to other places, the story of Bhagwat took a different route. He decided on the next best thing of utilizing his land and lake for farming and pisciculture. Within no time, his alternate choice turned out to be, not the next best but the best decision that has given a new perspective to his income hopes and living.
Bhagwat was determined to be a successful farmer, self sufficient and content. He contacted the Block Agriculture Department where ATMA’s Block Technical Manager Kaushal Jha gave wings to the young Bhagwat’s determination. After soil tests were conducted, he received mustard, wheat, gram, paddy, cauliflower, tomato and brinjal seeds from the government and started cultivating his three acre land, dividing his sowing in plots. In addition, he released fish spawns in his pond whose water he continues to use for irrigation purposes also.
Armed with technical knowledge and Kaushal Jha’s unwavering support, Bhagwat Mardi started growing mustard (80 decimals), tomatoes (25 decimals), wheat (1.50 decimals), brinjals (25 decimals), grams (70 decimals), cauliflowers (20 decimals) apart from the fishes in his pond and these farm products he sells personally in the market thereby eliminating the middlemen’s cut and counting more greens all the way to the bank.
With satisfaction writ large on his beaming countenance, Bhagwat said, “A man can earn more by engaging in agriculture as compared to jobs. The satisfaction level is also comparatively higher like I am the master of myself. Of course, ATMA’s Technical Manager Kaushal Jha has been of tremendous help to me. He has provided for my technical training which has paved the way for better and qualitative yields.”
Catching up with Kaushal Jha, he stayed, “We are willing to extend help to anyone who shows interest in farming. A practical example is Bhagwat Mardi. Seeing him, other villagers are following suit and we are helping them too. This way, the problem of migration will also be contained.”
The government provides seeds free of cost to farmers who want to make agriculture their livelihood. Potka Block’s youth force is looking up with Bhagwat Mardi as the new dawn of a bright and green future.
