Author: J. Binduraj
Publication: India Today
Date: September 5, 2008
URL: http://indiatoday.digitaltoday.in/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&issueid=70&id=14563&Itemid=1§ionid=24
As the managing partner of the Janavedi Transport
Corporation (JTC), Somaraj has little time to spare. The 28-year-old, who
controls assets worth over Rs 2 crore, oversees two bus terminals and 22 buses
which travel most of the main routes in and out of Pooyapilli village of Ernakulam
district, Kerala. All this he manages, while doubling up as a driver or a
conductor on one of the buses the corporation plies.
Life was not always like this. Ten years ago,
Somaraj, like many of the unemployed youth in Pooyapilli, was making do with
sundry jobs. His father's untimely death forced him to give up studies and
support his family of four. The only respite, for many in his condition, was
to take refuge in local politics, but Somaraj took to toddy tapping.
He continued to struggle until N.M. Pearson,
a teacher in a non-regular college in the village, came to the rescue. "Some
villagers wanted to liberate them from exploitation, so we wondered what we
could do in a constructive way," he recalls.
It was then that the idea of starting a bus
service struck Pearson and Somaraj. There were not many buses in the remote
village and people found it difficult to reach the nearest big town during
emergencies. The service would fulfill a very real need.
Managing to collect Rs 60,000, eight villagers,
including Somaraj and Pearson, approached Tata Finance for help to launch
JTC as a co-operative bus transport venture. It was a challenge and a gamble
as they had to remit more than half of their earnings towards the repayment
of the loan.
But soon they realised that by adding to their
fleet of buses, they could not only increase revenue but also generate jobs
for unemployed youth. With this expansion, there was no looking back. JTC
today employs more than 100 people in the village.
"We also give part-time jobs to college
students. They earn a minimum of Rs 900 a month by washing our vehicles,"
says Somaraj.
JTC has begun to diversify its activities.
It has purchased an acre of land for fish-farming. Undertaking projects under
the People's Planning Programme-a rural empowerment programme for local bodies-its
employees earn money for the corporation to help repay the initial loan.
And to thank its villagers, JTC plans to give
a 50 per cent concession on bus charges as a tenth anniversary offer. Not
forgetting what motivated them to start this service, the employees always
find time to offer help to people in medical emergencies. Seems this is the
road to success for this village.
