Saharsa (Bihar), April 22 Life after the Army took a transformative turn for Vikas Kumar Mishra, a retired soldier from Saharsa, who is now scripting a remarkable success story in fish farming. With an annual income exceeding Rs 5 lakh, Mishra has become an inspiration for countless youths in Bihar seeking self-reliance through agriculture.
A resident of Ward 24 under Saharsa Municipal Corporation, Mishra served the Indian Army with distinction for 17 years, enlisting in 2001 and retiring in 2018. Post-retirement, he decided to return to his roots—his ancestral land—and began cultivating not just crops, but hope.
Motivated by memories of his late father, a teacher who also farmed after retirement, Mishra turned their family land into a thriving centre of agricultural innovation.
He utilised the Jal Sanchay Yojana under the Jal Jeevan Hariyali Abhiyan to construct a pond and further benefited from Rs 3.5 lakh in government aid through the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) to launch his fish farming venture.
On just one bigha of land, Mishra now produces over 25 quintals of fish annually. His pond teems with species like Alankari, Kabai, Katla, Rehu, and Singhi—sourced from West Bengal—and nurtured using eco-friendly bioplank technology.
To enhance his expertise, Mishra underwent six months of specialised training in Kishanganj and Mumbai. Around his pond, he has also planted fruit trees—mango, guava, and litchi—that provide an additional stream of income.
"With the right training and proper use of government schemes, our youth can become job creators, not job seekers," Mishra told IANS.
His journey from soldier to sustainable farmer exemplifies the spirit of resilience and innovation. Today, Vikas Mishra stands as a beacon of possibility—not only for Saharsa but for aspiring entrepreneurs across Bihar.
Several schemes aim to support farming in India. Key schemes include the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) for direct income support, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) for crop insurance, and the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) for irrigation. Other important schemes are the National Mission on Edible Oils (NMEO), the National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF), and the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF).
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