Key Points

Hazaribagh’s Ajit Kumar Das, a cobbler by profession, is one such example whose life saw a sea-change because of the micro-credit/loan facility available under the scheme.

Today, Ajit Kumar, who runs a shoe shop in Hazaribagh's Gandhi Maidan, is living a life of comfort and dignity, and he credits this to the PMMY scheme.

Previously, he worked in sewing shops and used to make shoes there. His income was limited, making it difficult to meet his family's needs. However, in 2017, he took out a loan of Rs 50,000 from a bank under the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana, and this loan changed the course of his life.

With the PMMY support, Ajit opened his own shop and began making shoes on a large scale. Gradually, his hard work and craftsmanship paid off, and he became famous in the locality for his work.

Ajit says that this scheme not only provided him with financial support but also boosted his self-confidence.

Previously, he used to work in a rented kiosk, but now he has his own shop. With the income from this shop, he has built his own house and is also supporting his children's education.

His unprecedented success also earned him the opportunity to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. During a 2018 event in New Delhi, he met PM Modi and the then-Vice President Venkaiah Naidu.

Ajit Kumar Das says that the PMMY scheme has been a major support in his life.

If this scheme weren’t there, he would probably have been living in a tin kiosk. But now, he is not only standing on his feet but also providing a better life to his family.

The PMMY was launched on 8th April 2015 by PM Modi, to facilitate easy collateral-free micro credit of up to Rs 10 lakh to non-corporate, non-farm small and micro entrepreneurs for income-generating activities.

- IANS