Hardoi: A mobile repairer who began making phone ‘folders’ to steady his business

Mobile repairing is Abhishek Kumar Maurya’s everyday work in Hardoi district, but the shop is not limited to fixing handsets. Alongside routine repairs such as replacing touch glass, fitting charging jacks, and changing spare parts, he has also begun preparing mobile “folders” after adding a machine that helps him cut and punch display material into usable components. The shift has allowed him to transition  from relying solely  on walk-in repair jobs to also selling parts he prepares himself.

From supply work to a repair counter

Maurya says he has been in the same line of work for about three years, and even before that, he was associated with the mobile trade. Earlier, he was involved in marketing and supply-related work in the mobile line, including arranging spare parts, before focusing more squarely on repair. The work, he explains, requires both hands-on skill, and access to tools that are often expensive for a small operator to purchase in one go.

When asked about his journey into setting up and running the work independently, he describes a period of struggle that revolved around two practical constraints: limited money and the absence of required machines. Without equipment, he could not take on certain types of jobs efficiently, and he also found it difficult to bring in material needed for steady work.

A machine that changed the pace of work

He heard about the Mukhyamantri Yuva Udyami Vikas Abhiyan (CM YUVA) Yojana through the industry office, and says the support helped him purchase a machine and start working in a streamlined  way. In his telling, the biggest change was not a new line of business but the ability to do the same work with more capability and speed.

The machine, he explains, is used to process mobile display-related material. “We cut it and punch it, and then prepare the folder,” he says, describing a process that results in a product  he can sell in the market. The equipment also removed  a bottleneck he faced earlier, when he could not purchase machines and had to rely only on what he could do with limited tools.

There is a clear pride in how he describes the outcomes, but he frames them in everyday terms rather than as a transformation. Work expanded, the shop’s routine improved, and cash-flow pressures eased. “Now the work has increased, and there is no problem with money,” he says.

Learning the work, building stability

Maurya also recalls the training he undertook earlier, in 2016, when he learned practical skills such as fitting jacks, working with Integrated Circuits (ICs), and handling display and folder-related tasks. He is clear that the support he received later did not include training on running a business, but he feels the machine itself enabled him to build on what he already knew, and gradually widen what he could offer.

Today, his work combines repairs with small-scale preparation of parts for sale, helping him stay steady even when repair footfall varies. For a technician in a district market, the early challenge was not a lack of willingness to work, but the gap between skill and tools, and the stability he now describes appears rooted in finally being able to bridge that gap.

What is CM YUVA Scheme?

Under the leadership of Hon’ble Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath Ji, the state government aims to transform youth from job seekers into job creators.

To achieve this vision, the Directorate of Industries and Enterprise Promotion, under the Department of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises and Export Promotion, is implementing the ‘Mukhyamantri Yuva Udyami Vikas Abhiyan’ (CM YUVA) Yojana.

Under this scheme, young entrepreneurs are provided with up to Rs 5 lakh in 100% interest-free and collateral-free loans to start their industrial or service-based ventures. In addition, beneficiaries also receive a 10% margin money subsidy on the project cost.

CM YUVA is not just a financial assistance scheme; it also provides mentorship, guidance, market access, and essential resources to help youth become self-reliant entrepreneurs and generate employment opportunities for others.

Click here to know more about the CM YUVA Scheme.