Manzoor Ahmad Allaie: Pulwama’s pencil slat factory owner hailed by PM Modi

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.

Srinagar, J&K —

Manzoor Ahmad Allaie, a pencil slat factory owner from Kashmir valley’s Pulwama district, was praised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the 70th episode of his monthly radio program ‘Mann Ki Baat’ on Sunday.

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

In an exclusive interview with Digpu News, Manzoor Ahmad said when PM Modi took his name during the (Mann Ki Baat) programme, he felt quite good. “I became emotional and my eyes became moist as I didn’t think that I would make it this big that my name would be taken (by the Prime Minister),” Manzoor said.

After his matriculation in 1992, Manzoor Allaie 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.

Manzoor Ahmad Allaie: Pulwama’s pencil slat factory owner hailed by PM Modi 33

Manzoor reveals, “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.”

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 the unemployment in the locality.

“I want the government to facilitate us with subsidized electricity and land so that people like me feel a sense of freedom to establish factories and manufacturing units. This will go a long way in keep the unemployment rate under check in Jammu and Kashmir,” he says.

Manzoor Ahmad Allaie: Pulwama’s pencil slat factory owner hailed by PM Modi 34

It is pertinent to mention that Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday during his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ program said that Kashmir’s Pulwama plays an important role in educating the country as the region fulfils a large share of India’s pencil needs while making the country self-reliant in the field of pencil making.

The Prime Minister underlined that Manzoor’s turnover from the business is in crores and is a source of livelihood for around two hundred people.

Manzoor Ahmad Allaie: Pulwama’s pencil slat factory owner hailed by PM Modi 35

Also Read: Khan Basit Bilal — J&K’s NEET Topper from Pulwama

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Dil-Paziir (Urdu; meaning ‘heart-pleasing’) is a special edition positive news series brought to you by Digpu, sourced from conflict areas, starting from Kashmir. Our local journalists have successfully shared many inspirational stories from the valley – from the invention of E-Charkha, automatic ventilator in Kashmir, stories of brotherhood through to the first-ever cricket tourney for Blind sportsmen, all the stories make us awe-struck. These are NOT FOR REPRODUCTION.