Just imagine you are on an exotic beach in sweltering heat and suddenly foamy beer in a kulhad appears before you. Vow! it sure sounds funny, sipping beer from kulhads (clay cups) which are used once and thrown. And you may not be aware that if you use a kulhad to drink beer you will support hundreds of poor families of Jaunpur district in Uttar Pradesh, and transform the socio-economic profile of the region.
Parashar Pandya, an enterprising chief operations leader of a Mumbai-based company Poonam Couriers, which has its network spread over Mumbai and Gujarat, has come up with a brilliant idea to empower the people of Jaunpur district. “Although my mother tongue is Gujarati and our business is concentrated in Maharashtra, all our staff are from Uttar Pradesh. In fact, most courier services in the city are staffed by people from UP, which is among the poorer states in the country,” Parashar points out.
He reels out statistics of his adopted state like a top notch economist. “Uttar Pradesh is the most populous but a poor state in the country. The per capita income of the state at Rs 14,685 in 2006-07 is one of the lowest in the country.”
“Life in Uttar Pradesh is short and uncertain. The life expectancy of women is less than 55 years and the under-five mortality rate is as high as 141 per thousand. In these aspects UP resembles Saharan Africa with 53 years of life expectancy and 160 under-five mortality rates. If a girl is born in Kerala she can expect to live 20 years longer than if she is born in UP.”
Says Parashar, “This despite the fact that UP is endowed with natural wealth in abundance.” Everyone knows that UP has no hope, unless the basic political mindset in that state changes and all round economic development is triggered. But how does one go about it and who will bell the cat?
Parashar does not stop just here, but has taken a step in that direction. His courier staff is from Jaunpur district, which produces jowar, barley and sugar in abundance. But most of the produce is either wasted or fetches very low prices for the poor farmers. “If we get even half of our earnings back in Jaunpur, why should we be sweating it out here, instead we could enjoy a peaceful life back home” said Gangadhar, a taxi driver in Mumbai who hails from Jaunpur.
Parashar, with the help of his courier staff and others from Jaunpur, now plan to start a beer factory between Barai and Garkhana in Jaunpur, which the residents of the district will own. “The rationale for a beer factory is because the district has raw material to produce quality beer in abundance.” The profits from the business will be utilised to develop power supply, health and education – with the first round of beer expected to be ready in a couple of months.
The land for the factory has already been identified and negotiations are going on with farmers to either purchase it or take on lease. Parashar has also approached various authorities to secure a licence to produce beer.
A technical tie up is being worked out with a big brand for production as well as to market beer under licence.
But why beer in kulhads? “Lalu Prasad, when he was the railway minister, attracted media attention to kulhads by introducing tea in them. Why not make people drink beer from finely made kulhads, which are produced in large numbers in Jaunpur. If they get good prices for their produce, this will improve the region’s economy,” Parashar says.
“We will also construct a bio gas plant and generate power supply for the area. All in all a self sustainable project that will continue to generate funds for future growth,” says Parashar, whose enthusiasm for the project knows no bounds. He wants to create a hospital, a school and a college as well as generate employment for the residents of Jaunpur.
The project cost is Rs 1.5 crore and the beer is to be named “JP”. The two letters should not be confused with legendary socialist Jayaprakash Narayan, but stand for JaunPur (JP).
Parashar is now busy collecting contributions from a large number of people who belong to UP and earn their livelihood in Mumbai. “We are spreading the word and collecting a donation of just Rs 10 from every person who is touched, moved and inspired by the possibility of abundance in Jaupur,” says Parashar.
No wonder, contributions are pouring in from the taxiwallas and courier employees for the project that is going to be a landmark. For further information, contact Parashar Pandya and also visit his website:
Pandya_parashar@yahoo. co.uk,
mobile - 09819059105