Jamshedpur, Dec 1 (PTI) Madhusudan Gorai of East Singhbhum district converted the global pandemic crisis into an opportunity to not only improve his income but also created employment opportunity for over four dozen people of his village by adopting collective farming, an official said on Wednesday. Madhusudan along with his partner Subhash Gorai, a farmer, have availed the benefits of various government schemes and started commercial vegetable production to earn their livelihood and provided employment to 40 to 50 people in Patamda block of the district. Madhusudan said he had lost his father at a tender age and started looking for job. "I had worked as daily wager in a hotel in Adityapur in Seraikela-Kharswan district to maintain my family but the income was inadequate to meet the end," he said, adding that he left the job and went to work as a labourer in West Bengal a few months before the government imposed lockdown owing to COVID-19. However, he had to return to his native village in Patamda block after lockdown restrictions were implemented, Madhusudan said, adding that on his return he made up his mind to start vegetable farming over an acre of his ancestral land in the village. Madhusudan said he convinced one of his friends Subhash Gorai and hired some more land on lease. The District Horticulture Officer Mithilesh Kumar Kalindi told PTI that Madhusudan and Subhash approached the district horticulture department to seek assistance to grow vegetables. "We have not only provided them technical knowhow about modern technique of farming, quality seed as well as other benefits under various welfare schemes of the government," the officer said. Madhusudan swung into action immediately after he returned from West Bengal in May/June last year and applied for construction of a well on his land for irrigation purpose, Kalindi said, adding that a well was constructed which helped them to start growing vegetable on commercial basis. Kalindi said they are now producing vegetables such as cauliflower, cabbage, chilli, tomato and cucumber over six acres of land. The officer, who has visited the farm site recently, said Madhusudan has also engaged several workers in their farm in view of the growing demand of his products. The advantage of the Gorai duo was that they need not to worry too much about marketing their products as majority of customers come to them to buy in bulk. In an attempt to facilitate irrigation, Kalindi said Jharkhand Renewable Energy Development Agency (JREDA) has installed a solar pump for irrigation under Pradhan Mantri Kusum Yojana and process was underway to make them avail a structure to grow insect-free plants and seeds. Appreciating the hard work being put in by Gorais to ensure success in their field, Kalindi said they have set an example for other small farmers, who were still dependent on traditional farming, and showing them the path of modern technique of farming by availing benefits of government"s various schemes. The financial condition of Madhusudan and Subhash was not good and were compelled to migrate in search of livelihood till recent past but now they are providing employment opportunity to 40 to 50 persons including women to earn livelihood daily, he claimed. During his recent visit to the farming site, Kalindi said he had suggested to Madhusudan and Subhash to take advantage of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana and adopt drip irrigation to conserve water. PTI BS RG RG