As schools reopen, Pulwama's 'pencil village' expects boom in business
Samaan Lateef
Srinagar, March 23
Oukhoo village in Pulwama district, popularly known as the ‘pencil village of India’, has written its own growth story as it supplies 90% of the raw material to country’s pencil manufacturing units besides exporting it to 150 countries with the handholding of the J&K government.
Earlier, India used to import wooden supplies from countries like China. Since 2010, local entrepreneurs decided to make use of Kashmir’s famous poplar trees, a peculiarly supple wood which makes it best suited for manufacturing of pencils.
The government’s announcement regarding resumption of offline classes has rekindled the hope of better business for Manzoor Ahmad Alai (45), owner of one of the biggest pencil slat-making factories in Oukhoo, who had set up his unit with assistance from Hindustan Pencils in 2011.
Later, others followed Alai and more slat-manufacturing units came up.
“This spring has brought spring in our lives too. The schools, colleges have opened up again. We are now racing supply against demand from big brands across the country. Most of my workers hailing from other states have returned and the rest are also joining us in some days to cater to the demand,” a jubiliant Alai says.
The village came into the limelight after Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned its success story in his 70th ‘Mann Ki Baat’, a monthly radio programme.
Oukhoo village
70th Mann Ki Baat programme saw the PM praising Oukhoo village for its role in supplying pencil slat.
90%raw material is supplied by this village to nations’ units besides exporting the same to 150 nations.
