Bahraich man shifts from Rs 6,000 job to running local cyber café

Kamal Mishra, a resident of Fakharpur in Bahraich district, Uttar Pradesh, spent several years working in a private job, earning between Rs 5,000 and Rs 6,000 a month. The income, he says, was not enough to comfortably support his household, and despite long working hours, there was little scope for financial improvement.

Trained as a computer operator, Mishra was equipped with  basic technical skills but limited capital to start something on his own. He learned about the Mukhyamantri Yuva Udyami Vikas Abhiyan (CM YUVA) Yojana through the District Industries Centre (DIC) in Bahraich, where he made initial enquiries. After submitting his application, his file was forwarded to the Central Bank branch in Bahraich. According to him, the loan process was completed in around  12 days, allowing him to begin preparations for his business without prolonged delays.

With the financial support in place, Mishra opened a small cyber café in his locality. The shop now operates daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., providing a range of basic digital and documentation services to nearby residents.

Building income through familiar skills

The cyber café handles online form submissions, printing and stationery services, money withdrawal and online transactions, as well as other routine digital tasks that many villagers and small-town residents rely on for assistance. Mishra chose this line of work due to  his prior experience as a computer operator, preferring to build on existing knowledge rather than experiment with an unfamiliar trade.

He says that within six months of opening, the business began generating a monthly income of around Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000. While the earnings are not large, they represent a significant improvement over his earlier salary and offer him greater control over his time and work environment.

Mishra believes that the absence of interest in the initial stage reduced the financial pressure that often discourages first-time entrepreneurs. Subsequent references to the scheme, he notes, are commonly made as CM YUVA Yojana in local discussions among applicants.

Reflecting on the shift from employment to self-employment, he says, “If you are working long hours in a private job and still not progressing, you should consider starting something of your own.” His immediate plans include maintaining steady repayments and, if eligible in the future, applying for additional credit to expand the scale of operations.

For now, the small shop in Fakharpur represents a practical step toward stability. What began as a response to limited income has turned into a steady, service-oriented enterprise that supports both his household and the everyday digital needs of his community.