Friday, April 29, 2011

Vidarbha Farmers to observe ‘Hunger strike’ on Maharashtra's Golden Jubilee Grand celebration on 1st MAY –VJAS

Vidarbha Farmers to observe ‘Hunger strike’ on Maharashtra's Golden Jubilee Grand celebration on 1st MAY –VJAS

Pandharkawada -30th april; 2011

When administration will be celebrating state government's grand Golden jubilee finale will happen a day on Maharashtra Day all over followed by grate finale at Girgaum Chowpatty Mumbai on Monday but it is not the case with five million distressed dying farmers and thousands of farm widows vidarbha who are struggling to sale paddy, tur and cotton even at the minimum support price decided to observe "Maharashtra Day" as "Betrayal Day" by sitting on day long hunger strike at Pandharkawada in Yavatmal district to press demand of lifting ban on cotton export and procurement of pluses by state @ Rs.3500/- as announced earlier ,Kishor Tiwari, president of Nagpur-based Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti, (VJAS), in a Press release informed that leading farm activist Mohan Jadhav,Letuji Jughare,Chandrakant Patil, Tukaram Meshram, Mohan Mamiddwar, Moreshwar Watile will participate in the hunger strike om 1st may.

‘Vidarbha Agrarian Crisis is result of last 50 years of backlog and apathy which has treated region as it’s colony when they are celebrating the grand finale of Golden jubilee celebration, we are observing the fast to give remember the farmers who have committed suicides in west vidarbha due to wrong policies of the state .more than 5 million farmers and 6 million tribal in vidarbha region have been denied basic security of food,healthcare and employment freezing all fundamental rights betraying all toll promises given at the time of Maharashtra State formation on 1st may 1960 now people of wants complete reassessment of situation and separate the vidarbha region to stop farmers and tribals on going Genocide’ Tiwari added.

The protest hunger strike has been by VJAS which has been keeping track of farm suicides in Vidarbha region and one of the unsung custodian of agrarian crisis which has strongly objected the recent announcement of Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Anand Sharma that there is no immediate proposal to allow raise cotton bales exports quota which has shattered the hopes of dying vidarbha getting a good price for their produce remained short-lived for cotton growers. Prices plummeted to below Rs 4,500 a quintal during last fortnight after touching a high of Rs 7,000,has been flayed by vidarbha cotton farmer’s activist group vidarbha Jannadolan Samiti (VJAS) and threaten to start hunger strike from 1st may to press demand to raise cotton bales export quota 1.5million from existing 55 lakhs ,Kishore Tiwari informed .

‘The remark on the issue of increasing export quota of cotton by 1.5 million bales to 55 Lakhs bales, the minister said that Cotton industry's requirements are always uppermost in the mind of the textile ministry or of the group of ministers has added further fuel in to agrarian crisis of cotton growing region of west vidarbha whre more than 10,000 farmers killed thenslves due to debt and crop failure ’Tiwari added.

The government had put a quantitative cap of 5.5 million bales (170 kg each) on cotton exports for the year ending September this year and earlier promised raise the limit up to 1.50 million bales as India’s is estimated to have harvested 33.9 million bales crop this year (2010-11) as against 24.22 million bales in the previous year as per recent announcement of Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar .

Earlier in the month of February Committee of Secretaries (CoS) in decided to keep the cap on cotton exports at 55 lakh bales and reject Maharashtra state's request to increase it to 75 lakh bales has come as a shock for farm activists and cotton experts in the state now commerce minister has disappointed dying vidarbha farmers were expecting to make good money and wipe out old losses in once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. But the exports restriction would mean the domestic prices would come down," lamented Kishore Tiwari.

Slamming the Union government decision, VJAS alleged that the bureaucrats were influenced by strong lobbying by textile mill owners who want cheap raw material to increase their profit margins.

"This decision is shocking. Why put a restriction when there is good demand in global market and benefits of good price can be passed on to cotton farmers who have suffered for over a decade because of unremunerative prices, cotton growers may not get another such chance of high open market prices domestically and globally " asked Tiwari .

"Floods hit crop in China and Pakistan while crop area was cut down in the US, the other major producer. So it's a rare chance that Indian farmer got this time as cotton crop in India was exceptionally good. Moreover, when 83 lakh bales were exported last year, why should the Centre scale it down in a good crop year hence we are demanding the lift all quantitative restriction on cotton export," Tiwari demanded.

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कापूस निर्यात आणि तूर खरेदीच्या मागणीसाठी उद्या --LOKSATTA






कापूस निर्यात आणि तूर खरेदीच्या मागणीसाठी उद्या धरणे- -


नागपूर, २९ एप्रिल/प्रतिनिधी
कापसाची निर्यात खुली करा आणि तुरीची खरेदी ३५०० रूपये प्रति क्विंटल हमी भावाने करा या मागणीसाठी येत्या १ मे रोजी धरणे देण्यात येणार असल्याची माहिती विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समितीने दिली आहे.
सरकारने कापसाच्या गाठीच्या निर्यातीचा कोटा ५५ लाखावरून १ लाख ५० हजारावर नेण्याचे आश्वासन थंडय़ाबस्त्यात टाकल्यामुळे कापसाच्या भावात प्रचंड घसरण आली. त्यामुळे मागील १५ दिवसात कापसाचे भाव ६ हजार ५०० रूपयांवरून सरसकट ३ हजार ८०० वर आले आहे. ही घसरण पुढेही अशीच सुरू राहणार असून कापसाच्या हमी भावापेक्षा कमी भावातसुद्धा व्यापारी कापूस खरेदी करतील, अशी भीती समितीने व्यक्त केली आहे. गेल्यावर्षी कापसाचे उत्पादन २४० लाख गाठी झाल्या असताना सरकारने ८५ लाख गाठीच्या निर्यातीची परवानगी दिली होती. मात्र, यावर्षी सरकार कापसाचे उत्पादन ३५० लाख गाठी होणार असा दावा करत असताना कापसाच्या गिरणी मालकांचे हित जोपासण्यासाठी व त्यांना स्वस्त दरात कापूस मिळावा याकरीता सरकारने निर्यात बंदी लागू केली, असा आरोप समितीने केला आहे. सरकारचे वाणिज्य मंत्री आनंद शर्मा यांनी मंगळवारी सरकार कापसाच्या निर्यातीसंबंधी सर्व निर्णय ऑक्टोबरमध्ये घेणार व गिरणी मालकांच्या हितासाठी आम्ही बांधील आहोत अशी घोषणा केल्यामुळे कापसाच्या किंमतीत ही घसरण सुरू असून सरकारने कापसाची निर्यात तात्काळ सुरू करावी व निर्यातीचा कोटा १५० लाख गाठीचा करावा, या मागणीसाठी १ मे रोजी शेतकऱ्यांचे धरणे आंदोलन आयोजित करण्यात आले असल्याची माहिती विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समितीने दिली.
यावर्षी भारतात तुरीचा पेरा वाढावा यासाठी सरकारने तुरीचा हमी भाव ३ हजार रूपये प्रति क्विंटल केला व तुरी पेरणाऱ्या शेतकऱ्याला प्रति क्विंटल ५०० रूपये बोनस देण्याची अधिकृत घोषणा केली. महाराष्ट्राच्या कृषी विभागाने या योजनेचा प्रचार, प्रसार केला व विदर्भात १ लाख २० हजार हेक्टरमध्ये तुरीचा विक्रमी पेरा झाला. मात्र, आज शेतकऱ्यांच्या तुरीला जेमतेम २२०० रूपये प्रति क्विंटल भाव मिळत असून व्यापारी तुरी घेण्यास तयार नाहीत. मात्र, ३ हजार ५०० रूपये प्रति क्विंटली घोषणा करणारे सरकार मागील ३ महिन्यापासून संकलन केंद्र सुरू करून खरेदी करण्यास अपयशी ठरले आहे. सरकारने नाफेड व पणन महासंघामार्फत तुरीची खरेदी ३ हजार ५०० रूपये दराने करावी व या खरेदीमध्ये शेतकऱ्यांना लुटणाऱ्या व्यापाऱ्यांना तुर विकता येऊ नये, यासाठी व्यवस्था करावी या मागणीचाही रेटा १ मे रोजी आयोजित धरणे आंदोलनात करणार असल्याची माहिती विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समितीने दिली आहे. या आंदोलनात विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समितीचे नेते किशोर तिवारी, माजी जिल्हा परिषद सदस्य तुकाराम मेश्राम, समितीचे सचिव मोहन जाधव, सुरेश बोलेणवार आदी सहभागी होतील.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Govt pours cold water on cotton farmers' hopes-TIMES OF INDIA

Govt pours cold water on


cotton farmers' hopes


NAGPUR: Hopes of getting a good price for their produce remained short-lived for cotton growers. Prices plummeted to below Rs 4,500 a quintal during last fortnight after touching a high of Rs 7,000. There were signs of improvement on Monday when the rates firmed up by Rs 500-700 but an announcement by the union minister of commerce Anand Sharma the next day brought them crashing down once more.

Sharma said the government will consider increasing the cap on cotton exports from the current level of 55 lakh bales only in the next harvest season starting in October. This was dampener enough to bring back the cotton prices to Rs 4,500-4200 levels on Wednesday, said a trader at Pandharkawda cotton market in Yavatmal district. The rates further plummeted to Rs 4000 to 3800 on Thursday, when the global slump also added to the fall. Reports of a higher cotton rates world over have pulled down the lint prices to 169 cents a bale, which in turn hit the cotton prices.

The situation has left many farmers including those from Vidarbha in a fix. Many had held on to their stocks hoping for the rates to go up further. Analysts said minister's announcement may bring a further fall.

Prices of lint refined cotton are also down by Rs 1,500 at Rs 52,000 a candy (per 356 kg). The minister's announcement may trigger large scale selling by the dealers, said Manubhai Shah, director of the Cotton Merchants' Association in Gujarat. The move may certainly benefit the textile industry but even this sector is reeling under high yarn prices, added Shah.

However, a section of traders also alleged that textile lobby was manipulating things so that the benefits of global high prices of cotton are not entirely transferred to Indian farmer. Recently Indian farmers got almost Rs 600 less than what they should have got for the best quality going by the international benchmark, said traders. Some times the gap was as much as Rs 2,000 a quintal.

A quick calculation can prove this theory, claims Premkumar Taori, a cotton trader at Dhamangaon. The global price of lint was 185 cents a bale last week. This translates into Rs 60,338 a candy (356 kgs) after deducting transportation expenses, traders' margin and processing charges. Raw cotton generates almost 34% lint and rest is seeds.By this measure, the per quintal rate of cotton comes to around Rs 6200 after deducting other miscellaneous expenses. However, in India lint fetched just Rs 54,000 a candy at that time. So the ultimate rate of raw cotton came to Rs 5600 a quintal, he said. This is because the textile lobby quotes rates of lint according to its convenience, no matter what the global trends are, said Taori. The government control ensures that farmers are not able to sell abroad where they can get higher prices.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Vidarbha farmers demand C.B.I. probe on CAG report on Rs.5000 crore Prime Minister Farmers Relief Package

Vidarbha farmers demand C.B.I. probe on CAG report on Rs.5000 crore Prime Minister Farmers Relief Package
Nagpur-26APRIL 2011

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has once again came out very serious allegation of massive corruption in prime minister and chief minister relief packages amounting Rs.5000 Crore disbursed to suicide hit agrarian crisis west vidarbha in year 2005-2006 to stop on going coton farmers suicides resulting in more than 8000 ill fated farmers to kill themseleves as relief were never reached to dying people .Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti (VJAS) has filed fresh complaint to Indian prime minister asking him order the CBI probe in to all misdeeds in relief package work including in irrigation contracts ,kishore tiwari of VJAS informed in a press reslease today
as per recent report published in national daily today and it is quoted in the compialnyt to prime minister that
QUOTE
Special packages announced by the Prime Minister and the chief minister's office to contain farmer suicides in Vidarbha failed to meet their objectives, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has observed. A performance audit report compiled by the CAG on various state government departments and state-run public sector undertakings was placed before the state legislature last week.

In its report, the CAG has raised serious questions on the implementation of some of the special packages doled out to drought-prone areas in the Vidharbha region. These include a livestock and fisheries package, announced by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in August 2006, for the six districts with high suicide rates: Akola, Amravati, Buldhana, Wardha, Washim, and Yavatmal.

Observing that cases of farmer suicides in these districts were related to the depletion of financial conditions and burden of loans, Singh sanctioned a Rs 27 crore package, disbursed in the 2006-10 period, for providing supplementary source of income to the farming population.

The package involved distribution of two milch animals to each affected family. The government agreed to bear 75 per cent of the purchase cost, while the beneficiaries had to arrange for the remaining amount. A rider that the animals could not be sold for at least three years and had to be produced at the time of verification was put in place.

A scrutiny of status reports in Akola, Amravati and Yavatmal by the CAG in March 2010, however, revealed that 385 of the 10,210 animals distributed under the package were not available with the beneficiaries. These had either been sold (473) or were not in the beneficiary's possession (1,867) at the time of verification; 509 others had died.

The CAG has observed that despite the release of subsidy, objectives behind the package could not be achieved. The state animal husbandry, dairy development and fisheries department, which was to oversee the scheme's implementation, has been blamed for "poor monitoring" and institutional weakness in planning.

Similar discrepancies were also observed in an independent package announced by the chief minister's office in February 2006. The CM had sanctioned a package of Rs 30 crore, which also dealt with 75 per cent subsidy in purchase of two large milch animals or 10 sheep and a goat. Even in this case, reports in the three districts revealed that nearly 37% of the 6,090 animals were not available with the farmers. While 517 had been sold, 1266 were not traceable, and 466 were reported dead.

The CAG said the department is yet to reply on the action taken against the beneficiaries. It also raised the issue of irregularities and excess payment of compensation to farmers affected by bird flu in 2006. An audit note has been raised on non-payment of compensation for destroyed eggs as announced.

UNQUOTE

The corruption in vidarbha relief package in irigation project was earlier reported was also submitted to Indian prime minister for arranging CBI probe in december 20101 but till date PMO ha snot taken any action that's very unfortunate ,Tiwari added.

here is earlier reports on primeminister rlief package corruption

QUOTE


Until now Ajay Sancheti was known to have only a BJP connection: last year Nitin Gadkari had invited him to be on the party's national executive. Documents now with TOI indicate that he may also have close links with the present Democratic Front state government comprising Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party.

Documents collected under RTI Act by Arunkumar Sampat, a contractor with Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation, reveal the promoters of Sancheti group used a dead company to corner more contracts by bypassing the norms. Interestingly, prominent builder Avinash Bhosale had also allegedly colluded with them in bagging multi-crore contracts.

Insiders say the fraud could be worth at least Rs 2,000 crore with the Sanchetis using fraudulent means to bag irrigation projects. The VIDC was headed by the current deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar in his capacity as the irrigation minister in the previous government.

The Sanchetis have also been in the news recently for the manner in which they bagged flats in Mumbai's Adarsh Housing Society.

Clever Sancheti milked state for irrigation contracts

Until now Ajay Sancheti was known to have only a BJP connection after being invited to be on the party's national executive by its president Nitin Gadkari last year. However, documents now with TOI indicate that he also has close links with the current Democratic Front state government which comprises the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party.

Insiders feel that the fraud could be worth at least Rs 2,000 crore with the Sanchetis using fraudulent means to bag irrigation projects from the Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC). This was being headed by the current deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar in his capacity as the irrigation minister in the previous government.

Documents collected under the RTI Act by Arunkumar Sampat, who too is a VIDC contractor, reveal that the promoters of the Sancheti group made a dead company come alive which became the means of cornering more contracts by bypassing the norms. Interestingly, Cidco scamster and prominent builder Avinash Bhosale had also colluded with them in bagging multi-crore contracts.

The Sanchetis have also been in the news recently for the piquant manner in which they bagged flats in Mumbai's Adarsh Housing Society. While one is in the name of Ajay Sancheti's driver Sudhakar Madke, a second is in the name his cousin Paramveer who is a student in the UK and the third in the name of Rajesh S Bora, brother-in-law of Abhay Sancheti who is Ajay's uncle and Paramveer's father.

Ten months after complaints of alleged corruption in VIDC were filed by the Mumbai Marathi Patrakar Sangh and Shiv Sena's Suresh Gambhir, a former MLA from Mahim in Mumbai, the state water resources department began an enquiry about two months back. It is yet to be concluded.

"An enquiry is being conducted by three chief engineers of the VIDC in the Sancheti matter," said C S Modak, the executive director of VIDC.

"It's a blatant fraud, Sancheti should be blacklisted by the VIDC," said Sampat.

The Sancheti group, which is a leading player in Vidarbha region in construction, mining and power sector, is one of the main contractors with the VIDC. The corporation rules state that no single firm can hold more than three contracts simultaneously. Though this has been in existence for at least 10 years, the VIDC recently changed the rule which was only in force to ensure that contractors can complete existing projects before starting on a new one.

In a bid to gain more contracts, the Sanchetis adopted an ingenious method. After bagging contracts in the name of Shaktikumar M Sancheti Ltd, the firm changed its name to SMS Infrastructure Ltd. If the promoters change the name of their company then the entity with the previous name ceases to exist. However, this did not happen in case of the Sanchetis.

Both companies continued to exist and bag VIDC contracts, far exceeding the upper limit of three.

On November 28, 2005, the registrar of companies issued Shaktikumar M Sancheti Ltd a fresh certificate of incorporation with SMS Infrastructure Ltd as the name. This new company continued to have the same VIDC contractor registration number - 1083. Even though the Sanchetis intimated the VIDC about the change of name in 2006, they continued to bag contracts in the old name too. A project-wise intimation has to be submitted to the corporation.

The VIDC too did not see anything wrong in both Shaktikumar M Sancheti Ltd and SMS Infrastructure Ltd, the group's current name, bagging contracts. It also issued contractor registration certificates to the former on March 14, 2007 as well as the new firm on July 23, 2007. The two firms continued to be awarded different contracts.

Ajay Sancheti, however, told TOI that there was nothing hanky-panky in the bagging of projects. "Since the work orders are issued by different executive engineers of VIDC, they took varying time to incorporate the changes," said Ajay Sancheti, who is the MD of SMS Infrastructure Ltd.

"Many a time, the engineers continued to issue cheques and other documents in the name of Shaktikumar M Sancheti Ltd even though we had changed the name of the company," he added.

A VIDC officer, preferring anonymity, told TOI that this irregularity would not have been possible without the connivance of the top brass of the corporation. "Not only did the two firms continue to bag contracts, they also formed joint ventures with different companies and bagged more contracts in the name of the JVs," the officer added.

Sanchetis formed joint ventures in the name of both Sancheti Infrastructure Limited and SMS Limited. The former tied up with Mumbai-based M/S N Thakkar Construction Private Limited and the latter with another Mumbai-based firm D Thakkar Construction Private Limited. Incidentally, a number of directors are on the board of both the Mumbai firms.

The first partnership deed between Shaktikumar M Sancheti Limited and SN Thakkar was executed on November 14, 2005 just a fortnight before it changed its name to SMS. The SMS-D. Thakkar deed is dated December 4, 2008.

However, even in 2007, when Shaktikumar M Sancheti did not exist anymore, a partnership deed was forged with SN Thakkar for taking up another VIDC contract. As per VIDC rules, a fresh joint venture has to be formed to bid for each contract.

In this manner, the Sanchetis bagged six projects in partnership with the Thakkars. One job was awarded to SMS Infrastructure on its own and another to a joint venture of Shaktikumar Sancheti Ltd and Soma Enterprise Ltd headed by Avinash Bhosale.

On this, Sancheti responded with a very vague "I don't have the details". "My director Dilip Surana is away for a couple of days," he said.

The Thakkars too have been indicted in a separate VIDC enquiry for circumventing corporation rules. The enquiry officer found that two out of four directors in SN Thakkar Construction and D Thakkar Construction - Pravin Thakkar and Jigar Thakkar - were the same. He concluded that it amounted to the same company bagging two offers. Even though the enquiry report was submitted in March this year, no action has been taken so far
UNQUOTE

'if prime minister failed to to order the CBI probe even after the CAG report ,we will move in high court for the justice to 3million dying vidarbha farmers'Tiwari said.



Friday, April 22, 2011

शेतकर्‍यांचे मारेकरी 77 भ्रष्ट कृषी अधिकार्‍यांवर कारवाई-IBN-LOKMAT







राज्य » 77 भ्रष्ट कृषी अधिकार्‍यांवर कारवाईचे आदेश
22 एप्रिल

शेतकर्‍यांचे मारेकरी कोण अशी मोहिम आयबीएन लोकमतने सुरू केली होती आणि आत्महत्या ग्रस्त शेतकर्‍यांना जाहीर झालेल्या पॅकेज मध्ये भ्रष्टाचार करण्यार्‍या 405 अधिकार्‍यांची यादी आम्ही दाखवण्यास सुरूवात केली होती. दोन दिवस ही यादी प्रसिध्द करताच अधिकारी वर्गात एकच खळबळ उडाली आणि आज कृषी मंत्र्यांनी 77 अधिकार्‍यांवर कारवाईचे आदेश दिले आहेत.

काही अधिकार्‍यांवर निलंबनाची कारवाई करण्यात आली आहे. तर काहींची चौकशी होणार आहे. कृषी साधना - सामुग्री वाटप योजनाचा गैरवापर केल्याचा ठपका यांच्यावर ठेवण्यात आला होता. आयबीएन-लोकमतनं या योजनांमधील घोटाळा उघडकीला आणला होता. तसेच या घोटाळ्यांमध्ये सहभागी असलेल्या अधिकार्‍यांची यादीही जाहीर केली होती. त्यानंतर अखेर राज्य सरकारने या अधिकार्‍यावर कारवाई केली.

आयबीएन लोकमतने पहिली यादी दि. 20 एप्रिल 2011 रोजी जाहीर केली होती आणि दुसरी यादी काल गुरूवारी 21 एप्रिलला जाहिर केली होती. यातील ही पहिली यादी

21 मार्च 2011 रोजी राज्यातील शेतकर्‍यांच्या आत्महत्यांनी ग्रस्त असलेल्या सहा जिल्ह्यांसाठी सरकारने पॅकेजच्या अंमलबजावणीत भ्रष्टाचार करणार्‍या 405 अधिकार्‍यांना कारणे दाखवा नोटीस बजावण्यात आली होती. तसेच यावेळी 50 अधिकार्‍यांचे निलंबनाचे आदेश ही देण्यात आले होते मात्र कारवाई अजून ही करण्यात आली नाही.

या पॅकेजसाठी बी. व्ही. गोपाळरेड्डी यांच्या अध्यक्षतेखाली नेमलेल्या त्रिसदस्यीय समितीने पॅकेज अहवालचं पोस्टमार्टेम केलं होतं.. पॅकेजमध्ये झालेल्या अंमलबजावणीतील भ्रष्टाचारावर त्यांनी अहवाल दिला होता. दरम्यान, याच भ्रष्टाचारासाठी कृषी विभागाने केलेल्या चौकशीमध्ये 405 अधिकार्‍यांना दोषी ठरवून कारणे दाखवा नोटीस बजावण्यात आली होती. मात्र ही यादी सरकार जाहीर करत नाही. आयबीएन लोकमतच्या हाती ही यादी लागली आहे.

पश्चिम विदर्भातील सहा जिल्ह्यातील कृषी अधीक्षकांची पहिली यादी

तत्कालीन जिल्हा कृषी अधिकारी

- टी. एम. चव्हाण, बुलढाणा
-पी. सी. सांगळे, बुलढाणा
- शुद्धोधन सदार, अकोला
- प्रल्हाद रंगराव पवार, वाशिम
- डॉ. दिगंबर गणपत बकवाड, वाशिम
- एस. जी. पडवळ, अमरावती
- के. एस. मुळे, अमरावती
-व्ही. व्ही. चव्हाळे, यवतमाळ
- ए. एम. कुरील, यवतमाळ
- बी. एम. ओरके, यवतमाळ
- जी. अे. देवळीकर, यवतमाळ
- व्ही. डी. लोखंडे, यवतमाळ
- झिन्नुजी गणपतराव पळसुदकर, वर्धा
- अशोक लोखंडे, वर्धा
- अर्जुन तांदळे, वर्धा

जिल्हा अधीक्षक आणि उपविभागीय अधिकार्‍यांची ही यादी आहे. आणि आता कोणकोणत्या वर्गातले किती अधिकारी या यादीमध्ये आहेत ? म्हणजे लक्षात येईल, सर्वच स्तरात भ्रष्टाचाराची आणि गैरव्यवहाराची कीड कुठेपर्यंत पोहचली. सरकारने अजूनही अधिकृतपणे जाहीर केलेली नाही. सरकार या अधिकार्‍यांना आणि त्यांच्यावर असणार्‍या मंत्रालयातील सूत्रधारांना पाठीशी घालतंय.

हेच आहेत शेतकर्‍यांचे मारेकरी


जिल्हा कृषी अधिकारी - 15
उपविभागीय कृषी अधिकारी - 26
तालुका कृषी अधिकारी - 57
मंडळ कृषी अधिकारी - 90
कृषी पर्यवेक्षक - 88
कृषी सहाय्यक - 128
अनुरेखक - 1

एकूण 405 अधिकारी



यानंतर काल 21 एप्रिलला गुरूवारी ही दुसरी यादी

तत्कालीन उपविभागीय कृषी अधिकारी

- डी.एस. सोळंके, खामगाव (बुलढाणा)
-एस.जी. भोसले, बुलडाणा
- आर.एम. भराड, मेहकर (बुलढाणा)
- पी.आर. पवार, मेहकर (बुलढाणा)
- ए.के. मिसाळ, मेहकर (बुलढाणा)
- डी.एस. सोळंके, मेहकर (बुलढाणा)
- पी.के. लहाळे, बुलढाणा
- टी.एम. चव्हाण, बुलढाणा
- एल.आर. जवळेकर, बुलढाणा
- व्ही.डी. भांदककर, अकोट (अकोला)
- अनिल बोंडे, अकोला
- साहेबराव कोंडीराम दिवेकर, वाशिम
- प्रभाकर चव्हाण, वाशिम
- बी.के. जेजूरकर, अचलपूर (अमरावती)
- ए.एस. डोंगरे, अचलपूर (अमरावती)
- एस. के. डोंगरे, अचलपूर (अमरावती)
- एम.आर. जळमकर, अमरावती
- एन.व्ही. ठाकरे, अमरावती
- सु. ह. ठाकरे, अमरावती
- व्ही.एस. ठाकरे, यवतमाळ
- व्ही.व्ही. चवाळे, यवतमाळ
- डी.बी. हुंगे, यवतमाळ
- व्ही.बी. जोशी, यवतमाळ
- जी.आर. सूर्यवंशी, यवतमाळ
- लक्ष्मण तामागाढगे, हिंगणघाट (वर्धा)
- गोपाळराव काळे, आर्वी (वर्धा)

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Farmers ransack offices to protest power plants-Hindustan Times

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Pradip Kumar Maitra, Hindustan Times
Nagpur, April 20, 2011

It seems the people’s opposition to proposed power plants that endanger the environment is leaving the state government squirm with unease.

The public hearing on the issue of the perceived threat to environment arising out of the three proposed thermal power projects in Yavatmal was indefinitely postponed when locals of Kolura village ransacked the venue on Tuesday morning.

The Maharashtra State Pollution Control Board had proposed a public hearing under the chairmanship of the district collector Sanjay Deshmukh at Kolura village in Ner tehsil of the district on Tuesday. According to reports, hundreds of villagers gathered at the venue and shouted slogans against the government and the projects. However, before the hearing, locals went berserk and damaged the furniture and sound system.

Subsequently, the resident collector of the district announced an indefinite postponement of the hearing. This incident dealt a fresh jolt to the ruling DF government after strong opposition to the proposed Jaitapur nuclear power project in Raigarh and Sofia power project in Amravati in Vidarbha.

Locals, especially the farming community, have decided to oppose the projects at Bijora in Mahagaon, Kolura in Ner and another in Wani tehsil. They fear that water from Bembla dam (which is yet to be completed) meant for irrigation purposes, will be diverted to the new super thermal plants.

Together, these three plants are slated to produce over 4000-MW electricity but in doing so, farmers would be deprived of water meant for irrigation. The other concern being the threat to the environment as the power plants would spew ash that could destroy huge tracts of farmland especially when its deposits are carried far by rainwater.

For Yavatmal district, the epicentre of the agrarian crisis, irrigation facilities are desperately needed to tide over the vagaries of monsoon. However, if large amount of water is diverted to the power plants, the farmers will again be left high and dry.

Little known Jinbhuvish Power Generation Pvt Ltd is proposing to set up a 1260-MW plant at Bijora and 1660-MW plant in Ner at an estimated cost of Rs 5,040 crore and Rs 5,280 crore respectively. Cotton belt of western Vidarbha has already witnessed suicide by over 8,000 farmers in the last one decade. They had been desperately waiting for irrigation facilities to tide over irregular monsoons. But influx of a large number of power plants by private players in Vidarbha region may raise new challenges for farming community, it is feared.

Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti president Kishore Tiwari said, "All major political parties have joined hands to rob the people of Vidarbha of precious water, mineral and forests," said Tiwari, adding that his organisation would launch a massive movement against the projects.

“We will not allow those proposed power plants to take our irrigation water for their purposes,” says Mohan Jadhav, a farmers’ leader who led the Tuesday agitation at Kolura.

“Its unfortunate,” says Sanjay Deshmukh, the collector of Yavatmal. “I was held up with an official work and deputed my resident deputy collector for the hearing. The locals could have participated in the hearing and expressed their views in the hearing in a peaceful manner,” he said.

According to him, the Shiv Sena legislator Sanjay Rathod led the agitation and provoked the farmers against the government and the projects.

The Maharashtra government has sanctioned 62 thermal power projects across the state of which 52 will come up in Vidarbha. Of these, three projects are slated to come up at Yavatmal.

Barring Wani, there are no coal deposits either in Mahagaon or Ner tehsils. Each power project needs 21,600 cubic metres of water.

Most of the major irrigation projects in the district are funded from the prime minister’s special package which was primarily aimed at giving a new lease of life to farmers in debt and those hit by natural calamities.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

महिला शेतकर्‍यांची आत्महत्या ; शेतकर्‍यांचे मारेकरी कोण-IBN-LOKMAT Report part-III









http://ibnlokmat.tv/showstory.php?id=165242
2004 साली 456 शेतकर्‍यांच्या आत्महत्या
2005 साली 666 शेतकर्‍यांच्या आत्महत्या ( पॅकेज जाहीर - 1,075 कोटी (राज्य))
2006साली 1866 शेतकर्‍यांच्या आत्महत्या - पॅकेज जाहीर - 3,750 कोटी (केंद्र)
2007 साली 1556 शेतकर्‍यांच्या आत्महत्या
2008 साली 1680 शेतकर्‍यांच्या आत्महत्या -
2009 साली 916 शेतकर्‍यांच्या आत्महत्या
2010 साली 706 शेतकर्‍यांच्या आत्महत्या
2011साली 128 शेतकर्‍यांच्या आत्महत्या

अलका धुपकर, वाशिम

14 एप्रिल

शेतकर्‍यांसाठी पंतप्रधान पॅकेजची मलमपट्टी करण्यात आली. पण त्यात भ्रष्टाचार झाला आहे. शिवाय बाजारभाव पडले तेव्हा शेतकर्‍याला संरक्षण दिलं नाही. बाजारभाव वधारले तेव्हा बाजारभावात हस्तक्षेप केला. अशी शेतकर्‍यांच्या विरोधी धोरणं सरकारने आखली. आणि शेतकरी कर्जाच्या भोवर्‍यात फिरत राहिला. शेतकर्‍यांच्या आत्महत्यांमध्ये तीन टक्के आत्महत्या महिलांच्या आहेत.

वाशिम जिल्ह्यातील डेपुळगावी आम्हीची टीम पोहचली तेव्हा अवकाळी पाऊस बरसून गेला होता. भरलेला गहू आणि उरलेला कापूस हातचा जाणार हे सांगत गावकरी आम्हाला नथ्थू डाहाने यांच्या घरी घेऊन गेले. पिपली लाईव्हच्या नथ्थाने शेतकर्‍यांना चेहरा दिला. पण वास्तवातल्या या नथ्थूची कहाणी डोळ्यात पाणी आणणारी. 78 वर्षांच्या नथ्थू यांना गेल्यावर्षी पॅरालिसिस झाला. त्यांची 35 वर्षांची सून जयश्री हीच सगळा आर्थिक कारभार चालवायची. तिला स्वत:लाही दोन वर्षांपासून बीपीचा आणि पोटदुखीचा आजार जडला होता. पीक येत नव्हतं. कर्ज फिटत नव्हतं. शेवटी एंड्रीन पिऊन तिनं आयुष्यचं संपवलं.

जयश्री आणि विजयची तीन मुलं प्रिया प्राजक्ता आणि सुमीत शाळकरी आहेत. सर्वात मोठ्या असलेल्या प्रियावरच आता घरकामाची जबाबदारी पडली आहे. आई असताना तिला मिळणारा अभ्यासाचा वेळ आता कमी झाला आहे. जयश्रीच्या कुटुंबीयांना अजूनही मदत मिळालेली नाही. तिच्या आत्महत्येमुळे कर्जाचं ओझं हलकं झालं नाही. 15 एकरातला जमिनीचा आणखी एक तुकडा विकणं एवढा एकच उपाय आता त्यांच्यापुढे आहे.

पण डेपुळसह 40 गावात प्रस्तावित असणार्‍या वाराजहांगीर जलसिंचन प्रकल्पामुळे शेतकर्‍यांच्या जमीन खरेदी-विक्री व्यवहारावर बंदी घालण्यात आली आहे. काटकसरीने जगून, मेहनतीने शेतात खपूनही शेती तोट्यातच जाते. तेव्हा शेतीचं गणित पॅकेजनी दुरुस्त करण्याऐवजी धोरणं दुरुस्तीची वेळ आली. हा साधा संदेशही सरकारला उमजत नाही.
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Tuesday, April 12, 2011

विदर्भाच्या शेतकर्‍यांचे मारेकरी कोण ?--IBN-LOKMAT





विदर्भाच्या शेतकर्‍यांचे मारेकरी कोण ?--IBN-LOKMAT

अलका धुपकर, मुंबई

12 एप्रिल

कर्जबाजारी शेतकर्‍यांसाठी केंद्र सरकार आणि राज्य सरकारने कोट्यावधीची पॅकेज जाहीर केली. पण या पॅकेजमुळे कर्जाच्या गर्तेत सापडलेल्या शेतकर्‍याचा पाय आणखी खोलात गेला.पॅकेज जाहीर झाल्यानंतर 2010 पर्यंत सरकारी आकडेवारीनुसार तब्बल 7,846 शेतकर्‍यांनी आत्महत्या केल्या आहेत. तर 2011 सालच्या पहिल्या चार महिन्यांत तब्बल 128 शेतकर्‍यांनी आपली जीवनयात्रा संपवली आहे. मढ्याच्या टाळूवरचं लोणी खाणार्‍या सरकारी भ्रष्टाचारी कोण असा सवाल उपस्थित झाला आहे.

कर्जबाजारीपणामुळे होणार्‍या विदर्भातील शेतकर्‍यांच्या वाढत्या आत्महत्या पाहून राज्य आणि केंद्र सरकारने त्यांच्यासाठी कोट्यवधी रुपयांची पॅकेजेस् जाहीर केली. 2006 मध्ये खुद्द पंतप्रधान मनमोहन सिंग विदर्भाच्या दौर्‍यावर आले. आणि त्यांनी 3 हजार 750 कोटी रुपयांच्या पॅकेजची घोषणा केली. त्यापूर्वी आणि त्यानंतर राज्य आणि केंद्र सरकारने अनेक पॅकेजेस देऊ केले.

केवळ 2005 आणि 2006 या दोन वर्षात पाच हजार कोटींची पॅकेज फक्त विदर्भासाठी जाहीर झाली. पण इतकी पॅकॅजेस देऊनही आत्महत्याचे सत्र मात्र थांबले नाही. कारण या पॅकेजचा निधी पीडित शेतकर्‍याच्या कुटुंबीयापर्यंत पोहचलाच नाही. या निधीला अनेक वाटा फुटल्या. पॅकेजच्या नावाखाली शेतकर्‍यांची घोर फसवणूक झाली. राजकारण्यांच्या नातलगांना लाभार्थी बनवण्यात आलं. शेतकर्‍यांना निकृष्ट दर्जाचं साहित्य पुरवण्यात आलं.

पश्चिम विदर्भातल्या 6 ही जिल्ह्यांमध्ये आत्महत्यांचं सत्र सुरुच आहे. कर्जबाजारी शेतकरी, पडलेले बाजारभाव, अवकाळी पाऊस आणि कोरडवाहू शेती यापुढे शेतकरी हतबल झाले आहेत. आत्महत्यांचं सत्र कुटुंबच्या कुटुंबांना उध्वस्त करतंय. अकोल्यातील 35 वर्षाच्या एका शेतकर्‍याने महिन्याभरापूर्वी आत्महत्या केली. त्याचं घरच उजाड झालंय. केंद्रीय कृषीमंत्र्यांना आणि अगदी अकोल्याचे भारिपचे आमदार हरिदास भदे यांना या शेतकर्‍याच्या घरी भेट द्यायला अजून फुरसद मिळालेली नाही. पण आयबीएन लोकमतची टीम अशा एकेका शेतकर्‍यां पर्यंत पोहचली.

व्यसन होतं शेतीचं... पण घरातच गळफास

कृष्णा चतरकर गावातला नावाजलेला कष्टकरी होता. त्याला व्यसन होतं. पण ते दारुचं नव्हे तर शेतीचं. त्याने शेतात 7 बोअर वेल खोदल्या होत्या. त्यातील 6 फेल गेल्या. कर्ज मात्र चढत गेलं. अवकाळी पावसाने कापसाचं पीक हातचं निघून गेलं. अखेर राहत्या घरातच गळफास लावून कृष्णाने जगाचा निरोप घेतला.

कृष्णाची 25 वर्षांची बायको आशा चतरकर हिचं विश्व फक्त घर आणि मुलं एवढंच राहिलं. आता चार लाखांच्या कर्जाची फेड कशी करायची ? हा मोठा प्रश्न त्याच्या कुटुंबापुढे आहे. कोवळ्या वयात पोरकी झालेली मुलं आणि तरुण विधवा हे विदर्भातील अनेक घराघरात दिसणारे भयाण सामाजिक वास्तव बनलंय.

कीटकनाशक पिऊन किंवा गळ्याभोवती चहाट आवळून शेतकरी आत्महत्या करता. पण त्यांच्या आत्महत्येमुळे कुटुंबावरचा कर्जाचा बोजा हटत नाही. उलट कारभारी गेल्यामुळे कास्तकर्‍यांची ही कुटुंबच हादरुन गेली.

'गायींनी दूध दिलंच नाही, आठ दिवसात मेल्या'



विदर्भातील आत्महत्याग्रस्त शेतकर्‍यांच्या कुटुंबीयांना मदत म्हणून तसेच आत्महत्येच्या उंबरठ्यावर असलेल्या शेतकर्‍यांना मदत म्हणून जनावरांचे वाटप करण्यात आलं. थाटामाटात राज्याच्या पशुसंवर्धन मंत्र्यांनी या कार्यक्रमाचं उद्घाटनही केलं. पण या गाई, म्हशी प्रत्यक्षात भाकड निघाल्या. जनावर विकणार्‍या कंत्राटदारांना बक्कळ पैसे मिळाले पण पीएम पॅकेजच्या हेतूचाच बोजवारा उडाला.

अकोला जिल्ह्यातल्या कापशी रोड या गावात पंतप्रधान पॅकेजअंतर्गत 20 गायी देण्यात आल्या होत्या. पण यापैकी फक्त 2 गायी गावात जिवंत राहिल्या आहे.पशुधन म्हणून देण्यात आलेल्या या गायी शेतकर्‍यांसाठी धन नव्हे तर बोजा ठरल्या आहे. भाऊराम खाकरे म्हणतात,'माझी गाय स्वच्छता अभियानातून आली होती. ती फक्त पन्नेच खायची म्हणजे प्लॅस्टिक खायची. मेली तेव्हा पोटातून प्लॅस्टिक निघालं.

शेतकरी वारंवार सांगत होते की, गायी स्थानिक बाजारपेठेतून घेऊया पण मंत्रालयातील आदेशानुसार खरेदी झाली ती नगरच्या लोणीमधून आणि नागपूरच्या बाजारपेठेतून. नागपूर आणि नगरमधून ट्रकने गायी अकोल्यात आणायचा खर्च, त्यांच्या रेतनासाठीचा वाया गेलेला खर्च आणि अनुदानाची उर्वरित रक्कम म्हणून शेतकर्‍यांनी भरलेले चार हजार रुपये या सगळ्याचा बोजा डोक्यावर घेऊन शेतकर्‍यांच्या गोठ्यातल्या पॅकेजच्या गायी काही महिन्यातच मेल्या. गायींच्या खरेदी व्यवहाराचे लोणी खाल्लं कोणी ? हे यातूनच कळतंय.

बोगस इंजिनाचे वाटप


पंतप्रधान पॅकेजमधून शेतीसाठीची अवजारं, इंजिनाचं वाटप करण्यात आलं होतं.गांडूळ खतासाठीचे युनिट देण्यात आलं होतं. पण ही अवजारं म्हणजे शेतकर्‍यांची सर्वात मोठी धूळफेक होती. यवतमाळ जिल्ह्यातील जुनुनी गावामध्ये सतीश डकाके या तरुण शेतकर्‍याची पीएम पॅकेजसाठी निवड झाली. पण त्याला मिळालं ते बोगस इंजिन. त्या इंजिन दुरुस्तीसाठी त्याने 20 हजारापेक्षा जास्त खर्च केला. पण इंजिन काही चालेना. याच गावातील पांडूरंग कंठेश्वर यांना पीएम पॅकेजमधून मिळालेले हे नांगर, पाईप आणि इतर अवजारं भंगार बनून घराच्या मागे पडलेले आहेत.

जुनुनी गावातीलच शेतकर्‍याना दिलेली चार हजार रुपयाच्या ताडपत्रीचा तीन महिन्यात भुसा झाला आहे. त्यांनी तर पॅकेजमधील अवजारं गोणीत बांधून ठेऊन दिलीयत कारण ती निरुपयोगी आहेत.तर गांडूळखताच्या युनिटसाठी खेटे मारुन सुद्दा शेतकर्‍याला ती दिली जात नाही.

ज्या शेतात सिंचनाची सोय नाही अशा कोरडवाहू शेतकर्‍यांना पाण्याचे पाईप दिले जात आहेत. तर बैल ओढू शकणार नाहीत असे नांगर दिले गेले आहे.पॅकेजची अंमलबजावणी केली म्हणून दावे ठोकणार्‍या मंत्र्यांनी याचा दोष अधिकार्‍यांवर दिला. दोषी कोण हे शोधण्याची स्पर्धा आता सुरु झाली आहे. पण यामध्ये शेतकर्‍यांच्या हाती काहीच लागलं नाही.

शेतकर्‍यांच्या टाळूवरचं लोणी खालं कोणी ?

पंतप्रधान आणि मुख्यमंत्री पॅकेजस ही शेतकर्‍यांपर्यंत पोहचलीच नाहीत. शेतकर्‍यांच्याच भाषेत सांगायचं तर आत्महत्याग्रस्त शेतकर्‍याच्या टाळूवरचं लोणी खाण्यात आलंय. केंद्र आणि राज्य सरकारनं जाहीर केलेली पॅकेजस म्हणजे कोट्यवधींचा मलिदा होता. सरकारी बाबू आणि राजकारण्यांनी मिळून त्यावर डल्ला मारला. गुरांपासून ते नांगरापर्यंत प्रत्येक गोष्टीत पैसे खाल्ले.ही पॅकेजेस नेमकी काय होती ? त्यावर नजर टाकूया म्हणजे भ्रष्टाचाराचं अर्थकारण उलगडायला मदत होईल.

1 हजार 75 कोटी रुपयांचं मुख्यमंत्री पॅकेज 2005 साली जाहीर झालं. पुढे ते वाढवून 1 हजार 495 कोटींचं झालं. पंतप्रधान पॅकेज जाहीर झालं 2006 साली. पंतप्रधानांनी विदर्भ दौर्‍यात 3 हजार 750 कोटींच्या पॅकेजची घोषणा केली. यापैकी 1400 कोटी रुपये हे व्याज माफी आणि शेतकर्‍यांना थेट मदतीसाठी होते.

थकबाकी फेडण्यासाठी 380 कोटी, सिंचनासाठी सर्वाधिक 3 हजार 200 कोटींची तरतूद होती. तर 2007 साली यामध्ये भ्रष्टाचार झाल्याचं उघड झालं. चौकशीसाठी डॉ. गोपाल रेड्डी समितीची नेमणूक झाली. आणि 2008 साली रेड्डी समितीने अहवाल सादर केला. मार्च 2011 मध्ये 405 अधिकारी दोषी असल्याची घोषणा सरकारने केली. त्यापैकी 50 अधिकार्‍यांना निलंबित करणार असल्याचं जाहीर केलं. पण दोषी अधिकार्‍यांची नावं मात्र अजूनही गुलदस्त्यातच आहेत.

2008 साली सरकारने राज्य सरकारचे पॅकेज घोषित केलं. कर्जबाजारी शेतकर्‍यांच्या कर्ज माफीसाठी 6,208 कोटींचे पॅकेज जाहीर झालं. 2008 साली केंद्र सरकारनं देशरातल्या कर्जबाजारी शेतकर्‍यांच्या कर्जमाफीसाठी 71,000 कोटींचं पॅकेज जाहीर केलं. 2011 साली अवकाळी पावसाने नुकसान झालेल्या शेतकर्‍यांसाठी 1 हजार 88 कोटींचे नवं पॅकेज राज्य सरकारने जाहीर केलं. यापैकी 600 कोटी रुपये केंद्र सरकारकडून मिळाले आहेत. पण कोट्यवधींची ही पॅकेजेस ज्यांच्यासाठी जाहीर झालेली होती, त्या पीडित शेतकर्‍यांपर्यंत मात्र पोहचलीच नाहीत.

यानिमित्तानं आयबीएन-लोकमतनं काही प्रश्न उपस्थित केले आहेत.

- शेतकर्‍यांच्या नावानं आलेले पैसे कुणी हडप केले?
- भाकड गायी आणि निरुपयोगी अवजारं कुणी खरेदी केली?
- या महाघोटाळ्याला कोण जबाबदार?
- संबंधित अधिकारी आणि मंत्र्यांवर कारवाई होईल का?

Monday, April 11, 2011

तुरीला हमी भाव व बोनस देण्याची सरकारची घोषणा फोल--विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समिति -लोकसत्ता

तुरीला हमी भाव व बोनस देण्याची सरकारची घोषणा फोल--विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समिति -लोकसत्ता
नागपूर, ११ एप्रिल/प्रतिनिधी

महाराष्ट्रात तुरीचा हमीभाव ३ हजार रुपये प्रति क्विंटल आणि प्रत्येक क्विंटलमागे ५०० रूपये विशेष बोनस देणार, अशी केंद्रीय कृषी खात्याने व महाराष्ट्राच्या कृषी विभागाने केलेली घोषणा खोटी ठरली आहे, असा आरोप विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समितीने केला. केंद्र आणि राज्याच्या कृषी खात्याने वरील घोषणा केली होती. विदर्भात यावर्षी तुरीचे १ लाख ३४ हजार हेक्टरमध्ये उत्पन्न घेण्यात आले. ३ हजार रूपये प्रति क्विंटल व त्यावरील ५०० रूपये प्रति क्विंटल बोनस याप्रमाणे ३ हजार ५०० रूपये प्रति क्विंटल दराने पणन महासंघामार्फत व नाफेडद्वारे तूर सरकार खरेदी करेल, अशी घोषणा कृषीमंत्री शरद पवार यांनी केली होती. मात्र, आजपर्यंत एकही किलो तूर सरकारने खरेदी केली नाही. व्यापाऱ्यांनी तुरीचा भाव सरसकट २ हजार ८०० रूपये प्रति क्विंटलपर्यंत खाली आणला आहे. विदर्भातील वर्धा, अकोला, यवतमाळ, वाशिम व अमरावती येथील प्रमुख तूर उत्पादक क्षेत्रात तर व्यापाऱ्यांनी अधिकृत तूर खरेदी कॉटन मार्केटच्या यार्डात बंद केली असून, अनेक ठिकाणी शेतकऱ्यांना २२०० रूपये प्रति क्विंटलप्रमाणे तूर विकावी लागली. सरकारने तूर दाळ उत्पादन वाढवण्यासाठी राबवलेल्या महत्त्वाकांक्षी योजनेचा केंद्रीय कृषी खाते व राज्याच्या पणन महासंघाने बोजवारा वाजवला आहे. हमी भाव व बोनस न मिळाल्यामुळे शेतकऱ्यांचे कमीतकमी १५०० कोटी रूपये बुडाले असल्याचा, आरोपही समितीने केला आहे. ज्या शेतकऱ्यांनी त्यांची तूर हमी भावापेक्षा कमी भावात विकली त्या सर्व शेतकऱ्यांना प्रति क्विंटल कमीतकमी १ हजार रूपये नगदी अनुदान घोषित करण्यात यावे, अशी मागणी विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समितीचे किशोर तिवारी यांनी केली आहे. एकीकडे सरकार यावर्षी कृषी उत्पादनाचे विक्रमी दावे करीत आहे, त्याचवेळी कापूस, धान व तूर उत्पादक शेतकरी अति पावसामुळे व बाजारातील व्यापाऱ्यांनी केलेल्या एकजुटीमुळे आर्थिक अडचणीत आले आहे. सरकारचे दावे प्रत्यक्षात झालेल्या उत्पादनाच्या ४० टक्के जास्त असून अधिकाऱ्यांनी केंद्रीय कृषी मंत्री शरद पवार यांना खोटी माहिती दिल्याचा आरोप किशोर तिवारी यांनी केला. देशात तुरीच्या दाळीचे भाव १०० रूपयाच्या वर गेल्यावर व ७० टक्के तूर विदेशातून आयात करावी लागते. यासाठी भारताच्या शेतकऱ्यांनी दाळ उत्पादन करावे म्हणून केंद्र सरकारने भरपूर गाजावाजा करून तूर दाळीचा हमी भाव ३ हजार रूपये केला आणि प्रत्येक क्विंटलमागे ५०० रूपये बोनस जाहीर केला. मात्र, संपूर्ण हंगाम संपला असताना सरकारने हमी भाव व बोनससाठी कोणतीही व्यवस्था न केल्यामुळे शेतकऱ्यांची ही शुद्ध फसवणूक आहे. सरकारने तूर उत्पादन शेतकऱ्यांना नुकसान भरपाई दिली नाही तर आंदोलन करण्यात येईल, असा इशारा समितीचे सचिव मोहन जाधव, माजी जिल्हा परिषद सदस्य तुकाराम मेश्राम आदींनी केली आहे.


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Sunday, April 10, 2011

Villagers threaten rail roko over road blocked by railways-TIMES OF INDIA

Villagers threaten rail roko over road blocked by railways



Tags:Pimpalkhuti railway station|Pimpalkhuti Citizens' Action Committee|central railway

YAVATMAL: The villagers of Pimpalkhuti, Pimpri, Pattenbori, Rudha and Kodhori, under Wani sector of Central Railway, are up in arms against the railway administration for closing the unmanned approach road near Pimpalkhuti railway station. The villagers gheraoed Pimpalkhuti railway station master PK Das on April 8 and threatened a rail roko andolan if their demands are not met within eight days.

The protesters spokesperson Suresh Bolenwar said that commuters from Kelapur, Ghatanji, Kalamb and Arni tehsils of Yavatmal have to board the Mumbai-bound Nandigram Express at Pimpalkhuti railway station. However, the cement road leading to the railway station has been closed by the railway administration. Consequently, the commuters are forced to walk at least 2km to the station in the absence of any cheap conveyance. Also, the Pimpalkhuti railway station does not have any civic amenities and commuters are forced to face untold hardships.

"We have made a number of representations to railway authorities and drawn their attention towards the hardships faced by villagers and commuters due to closing of the approach road. We have requested them to reopen the road and ensure basic amenities at the station, but to no avail. Finally, the affected villagers and commuters gheraoed station master PK Das and submitted a memorandum of demands under the leadership of Kishore Tiwari, Suresh Bolenwar and Pimpalkhuti sarpanch Lachhanna Koreddiwar," said Suresh Bolenwar.

The station master has assured the delegation that he would make efforts to reopen the road within eight days.

Chandrapur MP Hansraj Ahir too has written a letter to the railway administration and requested them to solve the issues raised by the villagers.

In December 2010, VJAS and Pimpalkhuti Citizens' Action Committee had organized a protest rally in the vicinity of the railway station and urged the authorities to reopen the blocked road and provide civic amenities at the railway station.

Even district collector Sanjay Deshmukh had instructed the railway administration to construct an approach road for the people to reach the railway station as well as their farms on either sides of the railway track.

Santhosh Rasamwar and others of the Citizens' Action Committee have threatened an indefinite 'rail roko andolan' from May 1 if their demands are not conceded.
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Friday, April 8, 2011

Farm widows of Bothbodan support Hazare-TIMES OF INDIA

Farm widows of Bothbodan support Hazare-TIMES OF INDIA

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/
Farm-widows-of-Bothbodan-support-Hazare/articleshow/7921483.cms

*"The agrarian community of Vidarbha will support the agitation till the demand for Lokpal Bill is accepted," said Kishore Tiwari of VJAS in a press release. "What is important is that the agitation is spreading in villages with new villages joining daily. The people are coming out in support without waiting for any leader or group. That is a sign of revolution the country badly needs, Also on Friday, people from all sections of society joined the agitation at Pandharkawda, Ralegoan,Yavatmal, Ghatanji and Wani." said Tiwari.
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NAGPUR: Widows of Bothbodan village in Yavatmal district on Friday joined the anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare who is on an indefinite fast in the national capital. Bothbodan has been in the news as a village with maximum farm suicides in cotton belt of western Vidarbha. Since 2005, as many as 22 farmers in this mainly tribal village have killed themselves.

The village has seen several high profile visitors, including Congress youth icon Rahul Gandhi, spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravishankar, father of green revolution M S Swaminathan, then Union rural development minister Mani Shanakar Iyer, Maharashtra Governor, special team of planning commission and several experts. But all this hardly resulted in any meaningful relief to the distressed farmers.

On Friday, it was a different scene at the village as the farm widows came out to express solidarity with anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare. They undertook a day's fast for the cause under leadership of village sarpanch Balasaheb Chavan and Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti secretary Mohan Jadhav.

"Massive corruption in relief packages to the tune of Rs 5000 crore is the reason for continuing farmers' suicide in western Vidarbha. Allegations of corruption have been levelled against senior ministers and bureaucrats engaged in relief operations. The CAG and legislatures' public accounts committee (PAC) have given reports on it and pointed out the leakages. Yet no action was ever taken in the matter," said Babitai Bais, president of Vidarbha Farm Widows Association (VFWA). "Now, a Lokpal (ombudsman) is the only hope so we are supporting Anna Hazare," she said.

Appealing to civil society to join the war against corruption, she said, "If 73-year-old Annaji can go on an indefinite fast, we can at least spread the message of corruption-free India."

"The agrarian community of Vidarbha will support the agitation till the demand for Lokpal Bill is accepted," said Kishore Tiwari of VJAS in a press release. Hundreds of widows joined a candle march at Hiwara-Barsa village. Such marches will continue all over Vidarbha, said farm activist Suresh Bolenwar. Also on Friday, people from all sections of society joined the agitation at Pandharkawda, Ralegoan, Yavatmal, Ghatanji and Wani.

"What is important is that the agitation is spreading in villages with new villages joining daily. The people are coming out in support without waiting for any leader or group. That is a sign of revolution the country badly needs," said Tiwari.
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Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Kolam tribals in Vidarbha denied food security-PTI

Kolam tribals in Vidarbha denied food security, alleges VJAS

PTI | 11:04 AM,Apr 05,2011

Nagpur, Apr 5 (PTI) Thousands of Kolam tribals in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra who are allegedly facing starvation are on a war path demanding food security and shelter which the state government has failed to provide them despite assurances in the High Court, a local NGO has said. To highlight their grievances, nearly eight lakh Kolam tribals spread over Vidarbha mostly in Yavatmal, Chandrapur and Wardha districts will be holding a non-political rally in Yavatmal on April 6 organised by Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti (VJAS), an NGO working in the interest of farmers and tribals in the region.

In June 2009, while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Samiti President Kishore Tiwari, the Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court had directed the state government to ensure adequate supply of food grains to these tribals and also told the State Chief Secretary to personally look into it and comply with the orders.

A division bench of Justice Dileep Sinha and Justice A P Bhangale had in their order noted failure of official machinery in providing food grains to Kolam tribals. The government had informed HC that it included Kolam tribals in the list of people below poverty line (BPL).Samiti president Kishore Tiwari told PTI today that the Maharashtra Government had even filed affidavits before the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) twice in 2007 and 2010 that they are providing food, shelter and potable water to the tribals. But nothing of it has concretised, he alleged.

When contacted Maharashtra Minister for Social Justice, Shivajirao Moghe said the state government has already launched 'Gharkul Yojna' (housing schemes) and was serious about the Kolam tribals. The state government can not neglect its own people be it backward class or tribals, he added. The Samiti, however said that these tribals are still facing starvation and has moved an application before the HC over non-compliance of Court orders by the state authorities, Tiwari said.

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