Mann Ki Baat: PM Modi hails J&K's Manzoor Ahmed for manifesting power of "vocal for local" [details]

During his historic 100th episode of the radio programme 'Mann Ke Baat', Prime Minister Narendra Modi talked to Manzoor Ahmed of Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on the phone and sought information about his project.

Prime Minister contacted Manzoor Ahmed who manufactured one of these pencil slates, and got information about his business from him.

During the 100th episode of his radio programme, Prime Minister talked to those people on the phone, who was mentioned in such programs in the past. Prime Minister called all those people the heroes of the country.

Prime Minister Modi said, "Friends, we now have one more gentleman on the phone line. His name is Manzoor Ahmed. In 'Mann Ki Baat', Manzoor Ahmed ji was referred to while talking about Pencil Slates of Jammu and Kashmir"

•  Prime Minister – Manzoor ji, how are you?
•  Manzoor- Thank you sir... doing very well sir.
• Prime Minister- It is a great pleasure to talk to you in this 100th episode of Mann Ki Baat.
• Manzoor - Thank you sir.
• Prime Minister- Well, how is the pencil-slates work going on?
• Manzoor - It is going very well sir. Ever since you mentioned our Man Ki Baat in Mann ki Baat programme, sir, work has increased a lot since then sir and employment for others has also increased a lot in this work.
• Prime Minister- How many people would be getting employment now?
• Manzoor- Now I have 200 plus...
• Prime Minister - Great! I am very happy.
• Manzoor– Ji sir..ji sir…now I am expanding it in a couple of months and employment for 200 people will increase sir.
• Prime Minister – Well great! See Manzoor ji...
• Manjoor- Yes sir...
• Prime Minister- I remember very well and on that day you told me that this is such a work which has no identity, there is no self-recognition, and you underwent a lot of distress and because of this you had to face a lot of difficulties. But now there is recognition and you are giving employment to more than 200 people.
• Manjoor- Yes sir...
• Prime Minister- And you have given us delightful news of carrying out new expansions and giving employment to further 200 people.
• Manzoor- Even sir, the farmers who are here, sir, also got a lot of benefit from this, sir. Used to sell a tree for 2000, now the same tree has reached 5000 sir. Demand has increased a lot in this since then... and it has also gained its own identity. Sir, 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 sir.
• Prime Minister- See Manzoor ji, how tremendous the power of Vocal for Local is.., you have manifested it on the ground.

Manzoor Ahmad was earlier praised by Prime Minister in the 70th episode of Mann Ke Baat

Manzoor Ahmad, a pencil slate factory owner from Kashmir Valley's Pulwama district, was praised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the 70th episode of his monthly radio program in August 2021.

The Prime Minister had lauded the entrepreneur from Oukhoo village in the Kakapora area for his"invaluable contribution in educating the young minds of our country".

After his matriculation in 1992, Manzoor was involved in manual labour. However, he set up a small bandsaw later with whatever savings he had. Things began to happen for him when he got an offer in the year 2010 to work on pencil slats for some outside pencil manufacturers.

Pencil slats are the wooden component used by pencil manufacturers to make pencils. Making wooden slats is one of the early stages in the manufacture of pencils.

"In 2012-13, it shaped into a real project and our workforce increased from just three family members to hundreds of people, who were in search of employment", Manzoor Ahmed recalled.

The entrepreneur is quite confident to increase his workforce further, particularly because of the appreciation from the country's Prime Minister. He believes that his unit will help curtail unemployment in the locality.