R. K Sinha
N Naryanmurthi, Nandan Nilkeni, Sunil Bharati Mittal and Sachin Bansal are few names of India’s first generation entrepreneurs that need no introduction. In fact, Narayanmurthy and Nilkeni have given a new direction to Information Technology sector. Sunil Bharati Mittal on the other hand has established one of the biggest service provider companies of mobile phone and Sachin Bansal of Chandigarh is the man who set up country’s leading e-commerce retail outlet Flipkart. One thing is common in them. None of these leading men of industry has their families in business earlier.
In the past two decades, beside them there are lakhs of entrepreneurs small and big who are contributing to the country’s economy. Had they gone for jobs, they would have been earning say Rs.2 to 5 lakh a month. But doay they are providing jobs to lakhs of people. Believe me, they are like you. They are successful because they wanted to do something different they had determination to do something in life. They refused to accept defeat in life.
Besides, determination and passion there is something special that makes a person successful. And that is “particular idea”. It is this new idea that can prove a blessing for you. Today, entrepreneurs in thousands and lakhs in towns and cities, small and big engaged in fiannce, real estate, media, telecom service sector etc. are source of inspiration for others. They are successful because of their innovative idea. You also think of something innovative and put your foot down on the industrial map of the country. Success will be yours.
When agitations are going on for job reservation right from Harayana to Gujrat, you will have to think of doing something on your own go for enterprise. Simply by sending your resume to places for job would not help. Already employment opportunity in government jobs are shrinking by the day. You have to think of doing business. Government provides finance for setting up new enterprise and for doing new business. You must avail this facility.
Recently, the government has started new programme to encourage and help new entrepreneurs and business under “Micro Units Development Fund Refinance”. Under this scheme there is provision for providing loans upto Rs. Ten lakhs to those interested in starting their own business or enterprise without any collateral guarantee of land or property.
Over 6 crore people can benefit under this scheme. Small manufacturing units and small business can take loan besides vendors selling vegetable, fish, meat chicken, saloon etc etc.
Shattered Dream
Arranging finance is the biggest hurdle in starting any new business. Large number of young entrepreneurs who wanted to set up their own business failed to do so for want of finance. Their dreams were shattered. With the coming of Money Bank this problem will be gone. Recently, a senior banker told me that big names in industry that is in the media glare provide jobs to not more than 1. 25 crore people. Whereas, small and medium industry and business are providing jobs to 12 crore people.
Spreading World of Business
Until few year back only Marwaris, Gujratis, Punjabis and Parsis were dominating the industrial world of the country. But now many others have joined the group. People from other regions, people from other castes including Dalits have entered the world of business. People are not contented with jobs. Many want to do their own business. It was dream of Ambedkar to see Dalits joining the main stream of industrial enterprise and business. Small businessmen and entrepreneurs have started setting up their own organizations on the pattern of FICCI, ASOCHAM, and CII.
Women too should come forward and join the changing pattern of economy. They should to go for enterprise and business. Why half of our population should lag behind in taking benefit of our new programme. Bankers say that women are ahead in repaying loan to banks. I would like to discuss briefly the case of Kalpana Saroj here. Her story has impressed me a lot. She is Chairman of Kamani Tubes in Mumbai. She was felicitated recently by Dalit Chamber of Business. Saroj came to Mumbai from Akola in late 1980s. At one point of time she used to stitch clothes and worked as a tailor making small earnings. From what she earned, Saroj bought her own sewing machine. She worked hard and bought small piece of land and then a flat. By 2006 she sold her flat and invested in other plot of land. Gradually she rose to acquire Kamani Tubes which was in heavy debts. By her able management she turned the company into a profit making unit.
At the end of this article I would like to tell my own story. I was an active journalist between 1966 – 1974 working for a big publishing house. I was removed from the job due to my active participation in the J P Movement in 1974. I stared my own private security business with a small amount of Rs.250/-. Today the annual turnover of my company is Rs. 4500 crores employing than 1.25 lakh people. I had joined JP movement only after coming close to Jaya Prakash Narayan. It was JP who had told me to do business. After I lost my job in newspaper, I went to meet JP. JP asked me “What you will do now”. I told him that I would do free lancing. To this he said, “Do something so that you can touch the heart of poor”. I started the security agency. I recruited 33 ex army jawans in my agency. This is how my agency was established.
