& çâÌæÚUæð´ ·¤è ¥ôÚU Îð¹Ùæ ÁæÚUè ÚU¹ð´ ¥ÍæüÌ ¥ÂÙð ÜÿØ ÂÚU ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´Ð ãæÚU Ù ×æÙð´, €UØô´ç·¤ ·¤æ× ·¤ÚUÙð âð ¥æÂ·¤ô ©gðàØ ·¤è Âýæç# ãôÌè ãñ ¥õÚU ÁèßÙ ·¤æ ¹æÜèÂÙ ÎêÚU ãôÌæ ãñÐ ÖÜð ãè ÁèßÙ ×ð´ ç·¤ÌÙè Öè ·¤çÆÙæ§ü €UØô´ Ù ¥æ°, çÁ™ææâæ ¥õÚU ©ˆâæã ÕÙæ° ÚU¹ð´Ð ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´, ÜÿØ ã×ðàææ ¥æÂ·Ô¤ Âæâ ãôÌð ãñ´ çÁ‹ãð´ ÂæÙð ·Ô¤ çÜ° ÂýØæâ ¥æÂ ·¤Öè Öè àæéM¤ ·¤ÚU â·¤Ìð ãñ´Ð

Uttama, an inspiration for female entrepreneurs

S DILIP Roy, Lalmonirlutt
The farm had only one cow and a hundred chickens. Now, ten years later, it has 75 hybrid dairy cows, 20 goats, 6 thousand chickens and 200 pigeons. The farm now spans over 11 acres of land in three separate plots where special grass for livestock, fruits, flower and spices are also grown.
The estimated value of livestock, poultry and orchards in the farm now stands at around Tk 2 crore.
This is the success story of Uttama Roy Ratna. Her ventures in Majhapara area of Laimonirhat municipality has become an inspiration for woman entrepreneurs in and around the town.
After deducting all expenses and making payments to day labourers and salaried employees, 25 total, the 47-year-old entrepreneur takes home aroundTk 2 lakh from the farm.
Among the employees, 15 are
women from the marginalised section of the community. These women can now provide for their family with the Tk 6 to 8 thousand salary they make each month at Uttama's farm.
"I can now spend the money to buy things for my family and for my children's education," said Binodini Rani, a farm employee.
"When in need, Uttama Didi is always there for us," Nipa Rani, another employee, said.
Asked about how she started it all, Uttama said after getting elected as a councillor of Laimonirhat municipality in 1996, she had to visit surrounding areas extensively. It was the visits in some farming communities that helped her grow interest in farming.
In 2008, with encouragement and support from her husband, a banker, Uttama launched her enterprise with one cow and one hundred chickens on five acres ofland belonging to her husband.
All the income that she earned from the farm was put back in the farm as investment. And on the second year, she approached several banks for loans.
"I didn't get any loan from any bank after several attempts, but that didn't stop me," said Uttama.
Five years later, when the farm grew bigger, she received Tk 15 lakh loan from Brae, an NGO. She successfully repaid the loan three years later.
After that there was no turning back and the farm continued growing. Uttama even started growing special grass for livestock on six acres ofland that she leased from locals.
"My husband is of course my inspiration and support as I got to set up the farm on his land," said Uttama, mother of three children.
Her husband, Arun Roy, said, he is proud of his wife's success, especially for her efforts in helpingthe women in need.