New Happy Mobile Shop: Mirzapur CSC entrepreneur builds his own steady business

In Mirzapur district, the day at New Happy Mobile Shop and Shop Centre moves in short, practical exchanges. Someone hands over a phone with a cracked display, another waits for a printout, while a third asks what documents are needed for a PAN card.

Behind the counter, Mohammad Gufran handles the repairs and the forms himself, switching between tools and a computer as customers come in with problems they want solved quickly.

Gufran’s shop offers a one-stop shop for phone fixing, alongside online services such as income and residence certificates, PAN card applications, ration card-related work, voter ID, and other digital paperwork.

He says the most frequent requests are for income and residence documents, PAN cards, voter IDs, and mobile repairs — a mix that keeps the shop active across the week.

From job work to a shop of his own

Gufran’s route into this work was not through long years of study; his schooling did not go far, and he chose to learn by working. For several years, he was working at a CSC centre and also did mobile-related work, a combination that shaped what he eventually wanted to build.

Over time, the appeal was not only the tasks themselves, but the idea that both services could sit together in one place and serve a steady local demand.

He began his own unit around nine months ago, after working in the field for about six years. The shift, he suggests, was less about a sudden break and more about deciding to move from supporting someone else’s business to taking responsibility for his own.

“Earlier I was working at someone else’s shop, now it is better,” he says, adding that his earnings and stability feel stronger now than they did in a job.

Setting up with support, learning the pace

About seven months ago, Gufran learned about Mukhyamantri Yuva Udyami Vikas Abhiyan (CM YUVA) Yojana through a text message. After checking what it was and how it worked, he applied, and availed a loan of five lakh rupees, primarily to start and organise the shop properly.

His key reason for choosing this route, he says, was that the loan was described to him as interest-free, which made the decision easier compared to other borrowing options.

He does not describe major hurdles in receiving the loan, though he acknowledges that the process had some routine difficulties.

Still, he calls it a workable route for someone trying to set up a small local business without waiting years to accumulate savings.

Looking ahead, keeping the work steady

At present, he runs the shop alone, managing both repairs and online applications end-to-end. As the business grows, he says he wants to hire one or more people to share the workload, a step he links to what he observed in earlier workplaces where multiple staff handled different tasks.

For now, the measure of progress is simple: a regular flow of customers, repeat visits, and the satisfaction of managing his own schedule and income. The early months, he suggests, were about arranging the basics and learning the pace of independent work.

With that foundation in place, Gufran’s focus is on maintaining consistency at the counter, the small daily proof that a decision made during uncertainty can settle into a stable routine.

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.