Retired Teacher Pradeep Kumar Turns to Farming in Banka
Most farmers consider agriculture to be a loss-making deal, but there are still individuals who find farming to be a better option even after retiring from government service. One such example is Pradeep Kumar, a retired teacher from Ranga village in Banka district. After retiring, he used his pension money to build a pond and now engages in fish farming along with cultivating fruits like papaya, jackfruit, guava, apple, and banana on his land.
Buying Land and Building Ponds Post Retirement
Pradeep Kumar shares that his interest in agriculture existed alongside his teaching career. However, due to time constraints, he couldn’t dedicate much time to farming. After retiring in 2021, he purchased two acres of land with his retirement funds and built a pond, where he planted fruit-bearing plants. Now, he is reaping the benefits of his efforts.
Fish Farming and Fruit Cultivation for Profit
Pradeep Kumar has three ponds now, where he raises around 15,000 finger-sized fishes. Along with gardening, he finds it challenging to care for the fishes in the ponds. He raises IMC and seelan fish varieties, with the expenses for seelan fish covering the costs of IMC fish as well. Through gardening and fish farming, Pradeep earns an annual income of over 7 lakhs, showcasing the success of his post-retirement venture.
प्रदीप कुमार बांका जिले के बॉसी प्रखंड अंतर्गत रांगा गांव निवासी रिटायर्ड शिक्षक हैं जिन्होंने रिटायर होने के बाद मिले पेंशन के रुपए से एक तालाब का निर्माण किया और वहाँ मछली पालन के साथ खाली जमीन में पपीता, कटहल, अमरूद, सेब, केला की बागवानी भी कर रहे हैं। उन्हें बागवानी और मत्स्य पालन से सालाना 7 लाख से अधिक की कमाई हो जाती है। उन्होंने दो तालाब और फलदार पौधों के साथ सफल कृषि का उदाहरण प्रस्तुत किया है।