Bihar: Returnees happy with new beginnings, small earnings

PATNA: Some of the migrant workers, who returned dejected from outside state, have reasons to smile now. They have started small businesses and are satisfied with their small income.
Dasarath Sahni (42) of Fanga village has started selling ‘phochka’ (golgappa) in western parts of Muzaffarpur ever since he returned home from Fagwara in Punjab recently. He has set up a stall near Marwan Chowk on Muzaffarpur-Reva road to cater to the demand of customers.
Sahni, however, admitted that the number of customers visiting the stall was limited due to the lockdown. “But the customers visit the stall once the police disappear from the area in the evening,” he said. Sahni’s childhood friend and neighbour Rupesh Rai (41) has also opened a roadside stall selling ‘litti-chokha’ near Lalu Chowk on Sariaya-Sahebganj road in the district.
Similarly, Sunil Choudhary is selling fruits at Tajpur bazar in Samastipur since he returned from Ludhiana in Punjab where he worked in a farmhouse on a monthly remuneration of Rs12,000. Choudhary (28) of Kubauli village is happy with his daily income between Rs300-400.
“I was perplexed for a while as I was jobless. Then I decided to purchase a cart for Rs3500 and started selling fruits in the local market. Initially I was a bit hesitant, but now I am happy with my earnings,” Choudhary, an undergraduate from a local college, told this newspaper.
The story of Rajan Kumar (26) is more interesting. A resident of Runnisaidpur in Sitamarhi district, Rajan opened a stationery shop at Dumra recently. “I will invest more in the shop once the situation becomes normal. In addition, I have plans to purchase a photocopier machine to add to my daily income,” Rajan, who returned from Mumbai, said.
Ganga Ram, another migrant worker, has set up a motor garage at Birpur market in Supaul district. Ram (36), a resident of Birpur Gandak Colony, is hopeful of saving more in the days to come than what he earlier earned at Ahmedabad in Gujarat where he worked in a cotton mill.
Ram used to spend half of his salary on his food and accommodation at Ahmedabad. “I used to save not more than Rs6,000. It’s a fact that the income is not enough from the garage to run a family of five. But my wife is happy and I have no grievances at all,” he said.
According to the state disaster management department sources, around 1 lakh migrant workers returned to the state from different parts of the country in 83 trains till Sunday and more were expected in the days to come. State rural development minister Shrawan Kumar said, “The state government is sensitive towards the problems of migrant workers returning home.”