Home > News > maharashtra-news IPS officers' wives turn samaritans to far vidarbha mers' widows

IPS officers' wives turn samaritans to farmers' widows

Yavatmal, Maharashtra, Nov 29 : The widows of debt-ridden farmers in Vidarbha region have finally found solace in the form of the wives of IPS officers of Maharashtra cadre.

The IPS Officers' Wives Association (IOWA) have come out to help these women whose husbands, all farmers, had committed suicide, being unable to repay the loans.

The IOWA has sent a consignment of 200 blankets and 80 quintals of rice to these widows in Yavatmal district earlier this week, according to Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti (VJAS), a voluntary organisation working for farmers in the region.

The association, led by Vandana Roy, wife of Maharashtra Director General of Police (DGP) A N Roy, despatched the material by train from Mumbai, a VJAS press release said.

The material was unloaded at Badnera railway station and sent by road to various villages in Pandharkawada and Ghatanji tehsils of the district, the release added.

The association has also proposed to send utensils, sewing machines and computers to these women, VJAS said, adding that Mrs Roy has also planned to extend financial assistance for the education and marriage of their daughters.

A delegation of the association planned to visit the suicide belt of Vidarbha shortly, to examine ways of giving further assistance to the bereaved families, the release stated.

--- UNI

Vidarbha suicides continue-DNA

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Vidarbha suicides continue
By - Jaideep Hardikar

Farmer hangs himself from tree after crop failure

Full Story can be found at http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1209455


YAVATMAL: Jaideep Parashram Rathod, 40, did not wait for the state government's new sop: a possible loan waiver scheme for farmers who repay their crop loan regularly.

Shattered by a complete failure of crop this year, the three-acre farmer in Tiwsala village, in Yavatmal's Ghatanji tehsil, followed what tens of other farmers have done in Vidarbha in the past. He killed himself by hanging from a tree.

Barely ten days after his death, Rathod's younger brother Nandu went to SBI's Ghatanji branch to find out how much money he owed. "I was shocked. I told the manager, it couldn't be his loan. Rs 192,198! How could banks lend a farmer with 3-acre un-irrigated land Rs 96,935 for crop loan? There's something fishy."

Till 2007, Rathod could barely get a credit of Rs20,000 for a kharif crop. This year though, he dared to dig a well and applied for a loan. The SBI approved him Rs95,263 for digging a well and installing a motor-pump. "He was a regular payee, so the bank must have given him a preference, but the crop loan amount is beyond my comprehension," said Nandu.

While Nandu is pursuing the case with SBI, Rathod's total credit this year stands at close to Rs2 lakh. His income is nil, with the failure of Bt cotton and Jowar crops due to scanty rains. His frail widow Sunita, who never went to a school, knows nothing about bank transactions. She's still to come to terms with her husband's untimely death. Her two daughters and two sons may drop out.

Vidarbha is sitting on an agrarian volcano that threatens to explode any moment. Crops have come a cropper. Prices of soybean and cotton have crashed, bringing to naught for farmers any chance of recovering losses, and then there's hunger.

Sunita's kitchen utensils are empty. Rathod knew he couldn't see his kids starving. There was no chance of paying back the dues to banks. Sadly, the Banjara farmer, who, villagers say, took initiative in settling quarrels and domestic problems in Tiwsala with his erudite reasoning and friendly behaviour, had no solution to his own economic despair.

Fears Kishore Tiwari, of the Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti (VJAS): "Suicides will rise after December." Last five days have been an example, after a comparative lull, with 15 farmers committing suicide in the period, and 36 so far this month.

From January to October 31 (2008), 533 farmers had ended their lives in 11 districts of Vidarbha, according to the VJAS, which gathers information from newspapers. The Vasantrao Naik Shetkar Swavlamban Mission at Amravati, which monitors implementation of special relief packages, estimates that 750 farmers committed suicide in six districts this year till August 2008.= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
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VJAS demands ban on import of US subsidies cotton bells to save dying vidarbha cotton farmers

VIDARBHA JAN ANDOLAN SAMITI

11, Trisaran Society, In front of Somalwar School, Khamla, Nagpur – 440 025

Tel No. (0712) 2282457 Mob No. 9422108846 / 9371137653 / 9373121947

(Regd Office : At Post : Pandharkawada-445 302, Tq : Kelapur, Distt : Yavatmal) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ref-loan waiver Crisis-2008 PRESS-NOTE Dated-21^st November 2008

VJAS demands ban on import of US subsidies cotton bells to save dying vidarbha cotton farmers

Nagpur- Dated-21^st November 2008

http://kishortiwari.blogspot.com/

As Bt. cotton in 30 million hectors of vidarbha(India)have been completely failed due sudden attack of virus and mealy bug and net yield has been dropped down to 30 % ,it was expected that cotton price in open market will cross Rs.3500/- per quintal but in fact rate of procurement in open market has not gone above the minimum support price (MSP) i.e. Rs.3000 per quintal more over suddenly there is no buyer in the market on MSP too forcing cotton farmers to sale the cotton below MSP in distress ,this has happened due massive import subsidies cotton from US as Indian Govt. has lifted all quantitative restriction on cotton import and reduce import duty to zero creating serious economic agrarian crisis in cotton belt of vidarbha which has already reported more than 5000 farm suicides since 2005 due to huge losses in Bt.cotton cultivation in dry land non irrigated land of vidarbha .VJAS has urged UPA chairman smt.sonia Gandhi to intervene in cotton growers crisis and ask Indian Govt. to immediate ban on import of subsidies cotton from US, , Kishor Tiwari of Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti informed in a press release today .

Till date total cotton procurement in less than 2 million quintals as against minimum 20 million since 20^th November as per average of vidarbha November cotton production data last one decade more local Maharashtra Govt.’s cotton federation procurement is merely 4 lacs quintals which shows the true picture of cotton failure in vidarbha but neither administration nor the apposition leaders are seriously taking the issue and on going price drop in cotton will increase debt of million of distressed cotton farmers inviting more farm suicides in near future, tiwari added.

VJAS has supported the demand of cotton Marketing federation’s for transport and other incentive for export of cotton bells .VJAS also demanded that cotton exporter should be given economic bail out package in order stop the cotton procurement orice at national level to protect the economic interest Indian cotton farmers as done by the US and all other cotton growing developed G-20 nations,tiwari added. .

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Please release this pres note

Thanking you,

Yours faithfully,

For VIDARBHA JAN ANDOLAN SAMITI

KISHORE TIWARI

PRESIDENT

kishortiwari@gmail.com

contact-09422108846

Financial aid for widows of debt-ridden farmers

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Financial aid for widows of debt-ridden farmers

Nagpur, Nov 19 : A voluntary organisation has initiated a move to give financial aid of Rupees 500 per month to over 5,000 widows of debt-ridden farmers, who committed suicide in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra.

Speaking to reporters here today, Kishore Tiwari, Convenor of Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti (VJAS), which works among farmers in the region, said they would enlist the assistance of patrons from various parts of the country to provide aid to the women.

''The patrons will send the amount by money order to the beneficiaries every month so that the money reaches them directly.

This will eliminate the role of an intermediary,'' he said.

Help was being enlisted from patrons in Mumbai, Varanasi and Kolkata for the initiative, with those from other parts of the country expected to follow suit. ''There is no distinction on the basis of language or region. We are getting help from all sections of society,'' he said.

Mr Tiwari said the assistance would continue for at least ten years, or till such time that the economic condition of the bereaved family improved and it stood on its own feet. The money for six months or a year would be given in lump sum to some families, whose financial condition was slightly better, so that they could start a cottage industry of their own.

VJAS had requested Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to grant an audience to the widows during his visit to Mumbai on November 29, Mr Tiwari said.

''The Prime Minister is to visit Mumbai to discuss the 'outsiders' issue and to review the implementation of the two relief packages for farmers in Vidarbha, announced by him and by the state government. We want him to know the ground realities, which he will get to know by meeting the widows,'' the VJAS Convenor said.

The widows would also stage a 'dharna' at Azad Maidan in Mumbai on the same day to highlight their plight and to press their demands, Mr Tiwari said.

The farmers in Vidarbha were in dire straits and the situation was the worst in a decade because of the failure of cotton crops caused by the advent of pests, he claimed.

The number of suicides by debt-ridden farmers had touched 680 this year, with the total since 2004 being 5,168, Mr Tiwari said, adding there were 456 suicides in 2004, 666 in 2005, 1,886 in 2006 and 1,556 in 2007.

--- UNI

Mumbai-based north Indian offers help for Vidarbha widows-Times of India

PrinteTd from

Mumbai-based north Indian offers help for Vidarbha widows 20 Nov 2008, 0447 hrs IST, TNN NAGPUR: Even as a parochial party in the state has managed to set the tone for a political agenda against migrants, especially north Indians, a Mumbai-based Hindi speaking businessman has taken a vow to come to the rescue of widows of farmers who committed suicide in Vidarbha. "While two Indians figure in the latest list of world's top 20 richest persons, it is unfortunate that millions of countrymen do not have access to two square meals a day. But instead of focusing on such sensitive issues, some political leaders are engaged in divisive politics and pitting one community against another," said Tulsising Rajput. Owner of several shopping malls in Mumbai suburbs, Rajput on Wednesday offered to extend financial aid to widows of the farmers in Vidarbha. Rajput who has joined hands with Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti recently floated Akhil Bharatiya Jan Andolan Samiti to fight for the farmers' cause. Speaking chaste Marathi, Rajput addressed reporters here and said he would enlist the support of north Indians and non-Marathi speaking communities. "On November 29 we will organise a 'dharna satyagrah' at Azad Maidan in Mumbai to highlight the miserable condition of farmers' widows in Vidarbha," said Rajput. VJAS president Kishore Tiwari said a large number of widows will travel to Mumbai to participate in the agitation. As many as 5,000 farmers have committed suicide during the last one decade mainly because of the anti-farmer policies of the government, Tiwari alleged. "We are hoping that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is scheduled to visit Mumbai on that day, will spare some moments for us and hear the widows' plight," said Rajput. "Each of the widow participating in the agitation will be given Rs 10,000 as aid. We are also planning to send Rs 500 per month through money order to each of the distressed families in Vidarbha," said Rajput. Tiwari said the main demand is implementation of the Narendra Jadhav committee recommendations. The committee report was placed before the state cabinet in July, but till date no action has been taken on it, Tiwari alleged. The report has recommended food security, easy credit flow and access to affordable healthcare system as measures to address the distress in Vidarbha and to check suicide among farmers.

Cotton, soyabean ryots being paid less: VJAS- TIMES OF INDIA Reports

Cotton, soyabean ryots being paid less: VJAS 19 Nov 2008, 0331 hrs IST, TNN NAGPUR: Farmers taking cotton and soyabean to procurement centres at Agriculture Produce Marketing Committees (APMCs) in Vidarbha were being paid less than the minimum support price fixed by the Central government for the produce, Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti has alleged. The Samiti has warned of legal action against such purchases claiming that it was mandatory to pay the support price fixed by the Centre to protect farmers' interests. Samiti president Kishore Tiwari has said that in neighbouring Marathwada region, the district collector has issued a notice that cotton should be bought at Rs 3,000 per quintal at all the procurement centres of the State Cotton Federation which is buying this year on behalf of the National agriculture marketing federation (Nafed). Anyone found underpaying will be liable for legal action, the notice has warned. Tiwari has cited the notice issued by sugar commissioner in Uttar Pradesh to the sugar mills there that payment to cane growers at less than the minimum support price fixed by the government would be illegal. "But in Vidarbha, far from giving any protection to farmers, cotton and soyabean is being procured by the federation at around Rs 2,850 per quintal. The police and the local authorities have failed to take any action and even as farmers are being denied their due prices," said Tiwari. At several places the procurement agencies and the traders paying less are being shielded by the police, he alleged. The Samiti is contemplating taking up the matter in the high court here. It has demanded that the difference amount be paid to the farmers along with cheques for the purchases. The Samiti will raise the issue at a 'dharna' it is organising at Azad Maidan in Mumbai in which widows of farmers who committed suicide will be present, said Tiwari. The north Indians living in Mumbai have promised financial assistance to the distressed farmers of Vidarbha.