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आचारसंहितेच्या नावाखाली विदर्भाचे शेतकरी मदतीपासून वंचित-तरुण भारत

2012-01-05T22:10:00.000-08:00

आचारसंहितेच्या नावाखाली विदर्भाचे शेतकरी मदतीपासून वंचित-तरुण भारत
शुक्रवार, ६ जानेवारी २०१२

महाराष्ट्र सरकारने प्रथम नगरपालिका निवडणुकीच्या नावावर महाराष्ट्रातील ९० लाख हेक्टरमधील कापूस, सोयाबीन व धान उत्पादक क्षेत्रातील शेतकरयांना घोषित केलेले पॅकेज आचारसंहितेच्या नावावर हिवाळी अधिवेशनाच्या शेवटच्या दिवसापर्यंत लटकवत ठेवले. या पॅकेजमध्ये कापूस व धान्य उत्पादकांच्या हमीभावाच्या प्रश्नावर सरकारने तोकडी मदत जाहीर केली. मात्र, या मदतीसाठी प्रशासनाकडून जीआर काढण्यापूर्वीच सरकारने पुन्हा एकदा महानगर पालिका व जिल्हा परिषदांच्या निवडणुका महाराष्ट्रात लादून आचारसंहितेच्या नावावर शेतकरयांच्या मुळ प्रश्नांना बगल दिली आहे.
सध्याच्या महानगर पालिका व जिल्हा परिषदेच्या घोषित निवडणूक कार्यक्रमानुसार एकतर आचारसंहिता लागून गेली आहे. तर दुसरीकडे घोषित मदत वाटपासाठी प्रशासनाला लागणारया तयारीला उपलब्ध असलेला सारा नोकरवर्ग निवडणुकीत गुंतला आहे. यामुळे कापसाच्या व धान्याच्या हमीभावावी वाढ आणि सरकारकडून होणारी खरेदी ही मागणी थंड बस्त्यातच राहिली असून अतिशय अडचणीत असलेल्या व नापिकीमुळे आर्थिक अडचणीत आलेल्या महाराष्ट्रातील ९० लाख शेतकरी आता मदतीपासून वंचित राहणार आहेत. सरकार व महाराष्ट्राच्या निवडणूक आयोगाच्या निवडणुकीच्या घोषणेमुळे संपूर्ण शेतकरीवर्ग प्रचंड अडचणीत आला आहे. निवडणुकीवर या सर्व आर्थिक नैराश्याचा परिणाम पडून पैशांचा पाऊस पाडून आदर्श आचारसंहितेची ऐसीतैसी करण्यासाठी मार्ग मोकळा झाल्याची टीका विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समितीचे नेते किशोर तिवारी यांनी केली आहे.
महाराष्ट्राच्या मुख्य निवडणुक अधिकारी नीला सत्यनारायण यांना विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समितीने पत्र लिहून, पहिल्यांदा आपल्या निवडणूक कार्यक्रमामुळे शेतकरयांच्या मदतीची घोषणा झाली नाही. आता तुम्ही दुसरया निवडणुकांच्या घोषणा केल्यामुळे मार्च महिन्यापर्यंत शेतकरयांना घोषित मदतही मिळणार नाही. तरी यासबंधी शेतकरयांच्या आत्महत्या द्यावे व त्यासाठी प्रशासकीय यंत्रणा निवडणुकीच्या कामामधून वेगळी करावी, अशी मागणीसुद्धा विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समितीने केली आहे.
सध्या विदर्भाच्या धान उत्पादक क्षेत्रात शेतकरयांचा धान घरातच पडून असून हमीभावापेक्षा कमी भावानेसुद्धा व्यापारी घेत नसून सरकारने संकलन केंद्र व खरेदी केंद्राच्या केलेल्या घोषणा फक्त कागदावर आहेत. निवडणुका व आर्थिक अडचण घोषित झाल्यामुळे सर्व राजकीय पक्ष हा मुद्दा समोर येऊन आपली सत्तेची सोय लावण्यासाठी निवडणूक व्यस्त झाले असून शेतकरयांना आयोगाच्या वारयावर सोडले आहे. अशा नियमांना शिथिल परिस्थितीत नैराश्यग्रस्त शेतकरी करून सरकारला संपूर्ण विदर्भात आत्महत्या करत शेतकरयांच्या आहेत. समस्या व घोषित आर्थिक मदत राजकीय पक्षांना शेतकरयांच्या तात्काळ समस्यांना बगल देण्यास निवडणूक देण्यासंबंधी आदेश आयोगाने सुवर्णसंधी दिली आहे. जे पक्ष शेतकरयांच्या आत्महत्येसाठी सरकारला दोष देत आहेत तेच पक्ष मात्र निवडणुकीत व सत्तेच्या राजकारणात त्यांच्याबरोबर सत्ता संधी व निवडणुकीच्या जागावाटप करत आहेत.
हा सगळा प्रकार निवडणुकीच्या नावावर सरकार आत्महत्या करणारया शेतकरयांच्या टाळूवरचे लोणी खाणारा असून सरकार व विरोधक कापूस, धानाच्या हमीभावाचा व घोषित सरकारी मदतीचे संपूर्ण वाटप निवडणुकीपूर्वी होण्यासाठी तातडीने निर्णय घ्यावा. असे न झाल्यास नापिकीग्रस्त विदर्भातील शेतकरी संपूर्ण गावकरयांच्या मदतीने जिल्हा परिषद व पंचायत समितीच्या निवडणुकांना पाठ करतील आणि अशीच उदासीनता राहिली तर विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समिती या सर्व शेतकरयांना निवडणुकीच्या मतदानापासून दूर राहण्याचे आव्हान करतील आणि त्याचे गंभीर परिणाम निवडणुकीवर दिसतील, असा गंभीर इशारा विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समितीचे नेते किशोर तिवारी यांनी दिला आहे.

सरकारने दिला दगा -कापसाचे भाव कोसळल्याने कास्तकाराची आर्थिक कोंडी

2011-12-24T01:44:00.000-08:00

सरकारने दिला दगा -कापसाचे भाव कोसळल्याने कास्तकाराची आर्थिक कोंडी

नगर पालिका निवडणुकीपूर्वी कापसाला ४४००ते ४६०० रुपये भाव मिळत होता. तर, कापसाला सहाहजार रुपये भाव मिळावा, या मागणीसाठी शेतकरी आंदोलन करीत असताना सरकारने नगर पालिका निवडणुकीच्या आचारसंहितेचे कारण पुढे करून नंतर निर्णय घेण्याचे घोषित केले. मात्र १२ डिसेंबरपर्यंत भाववाढ तर मिळाली नाहीच, उलट कापसाचे भाव ३३०० ते ३६०० रु. पर्यंत खाली आल्याने नगदी पीक म्हणविणारे पांढरे सोने यावर्षी काळवंडले आहे. तसेच पिवळे सोनेही (सोयाबीन) गडगडल्याने शेतकरयाची जबर आर्थिक कोंडी होत आहे. विदर्भ व मराठवाड्यात कापूस उत्पादक शेतकरी मोठ्या प्रमाणात आहेत. यावर्षी कापसाची लागवड उशिरा झाली. लाल्या रोगाचा प्रादुर्भाव व परतीचा न झालेला पाऊस यामुळे उतारा अत्यल्पच झाला. त्यातच गेल्यावर्षी कापसाला मार्च व एप्रिलमध्ये सहा हजार सहाशे ते सात हजार दोनशे रुपये असा उच्चांकी भाव मिळाला. परत मे व जूनमध्ये कापसाचा भाव गडगडून तो तीन हजारांवर स्थिर झाला. यावर्षी हंगाम सुरू होताच सुरुवातीला व्यापारयांनी ४४०० ते ४६०० रुपये या भावाने कापूस खरेदी करण्यास सुरुवात केली. पण हा भाव कापूस उत्पादकांना परवडणारा नव्हता. गेल्यावर्षीचा मिळालेला भाव व यावर्षी पदरात पडणारा भाव ही आर्थिक दरी शेतकरयांना खपत नव्हती. उत्पादन खर्चावर ६००० रुपये भाव मिळणे अपेक्षित असतानाही भाव वाढून तर मिळालेच नाहीत, पण सरकारच्या चुकीच्या धोरणामुळे बाजारात कापसाचे भाव पडले.

दोन वर्षात कापूस बियाण्यांची बॅग दीडपटीने वाढली. खतांच्या किमती दुप्पट झाल्या. कीटकनाशके व इतर औषधांच्या किंमती तीन चार पटीने वाढल्या. मजुरीतही दुप्पट वाढ झाली आणि कापसाचे अल्प उत्पादन झाले. कापसावर लाल्या व इतर रोगांचा प्रादुर्भाव झाल्याने सरासरी उत्पन्न दीड- दोन कि्वटलच्या आत आहे. गेल्या वर्षीच्या भावाची झळाळी व यावर्षीचा मिळणारा भाव यात तफावत असल्याने शेतकरयांनी सध्या तरी कापूस साठवूनच ठेवला आहे. पश्चिम महाराष्ट्रातील ऊस उत्पादक खानदेशातील कांदा उत्पादक, मराठवाडा व विदर्भातील कापूस, सोयाबीन व धान उत्पादक शेतकरी भाववाढीसाठी आंदोलने करतात. त्या-त्या पिकासाठी आधारभूत किमती जाहीर कराव्यात यासाठी रास्ता रोको, मोर्चे, निवेदने आदी मार्ग अवलंबितात. शेतकरयांसाठी सरकारकडून कोणतीच योजना जाहीर न केल्यामुळे शेती किफायतशील तर नाहीच, पण न परवडणारी ठरत आहे. पीक उत्पादनात रासायनिक खतांचा अडसर, पाणीपट्टीत वाढ, बी-बियाणांचा काळाबाजार या सर्व प्रक्रियेत शेतकरी नागावला जात आहे. सध्या महाराष्ट्र सरकारकडे कापूस खरेदीसाठी कोणतीच यंत्रणा वा कार्यक्रम नाही. पण शेतकरयांसाठी जी पीकविमा योजना लागू करण्यात आली आहे तिचा पार बट्ट्याबोळ झाला आहे. शेतकरयांना कर्जपुरवठा करण्यासाठी बँकाच उदासीन असून, भावातील चढउतारावरही सरकारचे नियंत्रण नाही. कापूस निर्याती संदर्भात सरकार ठोस पावले उचलत नाही. या सर्व प्रकारांमुळे ऊस उत्पादक अडचणीत आलेला आहे. केवळ कापसाचाच प्रश्न नाही, तर सर्व शेती मालाच्या भावाचा प्रश्न शेतकरयांसाठी जिव्हाळ्याचा ठरला आहे. पिवळे सोने (सोयाबीन) दोन वर्षांपासून १८०० ते २००० या भावाने शेतकरी विकत आहेत. विदर्भातला व मराठवाड्यातला शेतकरी सोयाबीनचे पीक मोठ्या प्रमाणावर घेतो. कापूस आणि सोयाबीनला निच्चांकी भाव आल्यामुळे शेतकरी मोठ्या आर्थिक संकटात सापडला आहे. बाजारात गव्हाणे भाव एक हजार ते एक हजार आठशेच्या आत, तूर तीन हजार रुपयावर, उडिद आणि मूग चार हजाराच्या आसपास, धान दोन हजार रुपयांच्यावर, हायब्रिड ज्वारी सातशे ते आठशे रुपये यामुळे कोणत्याही शेतीमालास बाजारपेठेत भाव नाही. त्यामुळे शेतकरी आर्थिक कोंडीत सापडले आहेत. या शेतकरयांना अस्मानी व सुलतानी संकटातून बाहेर पडण्यासाठी कोणाची मदत घ्यावी लागणार हे मात्र येणारा काळच ठरवेल.

कापसाचे भाव न वाढल्याने शेतकरी हताश-लोकमत

2011-12-21T21:06:00.000-08:00

कापसाचे भाव न वाढल्याने शेतकरी हताश-लोकमत
http://onlinenews1.lokmat.com/php/detailednews.php?id=NagpurEdition-2-8-20-12-2011-00a93&ndate=2011-12-21&editionname=nagpur

आंतरराष्ट्रीय बाजारात कापसाचे भाव घसरत असताना शेतकर्‍यांसह राजकीय पक्ष, सामाजिक संघटना रस्त्यावर उतरून आंदोलन करीत होत्या. त्यामुळे शासन कापूस भाववाढ करेल, ही आशा होती. परंतु राज्य सरकारने हिवाळी अधिवेशनात कापसाची भाव वाढ न करता, दोन हजार कोटींचे पॅकेज जाहीर केल्याने बळीराजा हताश झाला आहे.
आता कापूस भाववाढीचे सर्वच मार्ग खुंटल्याने निराश झालेले शेतकरी कापूस विक्रीसाठी लगबगीने बाजाराकडे वळले आहेत. कापसाची आवक वाढताच व्यापार्‍यांनी कापसाचे भाव कमी केले आहे. आंतरराष्ट्रीय बाजारात कापसाचे भाव यावर्षी कमी आहेत. देशातही कापसाचे भाव वाढण्याची शक्यता नाही. मात्र आंदोलन, मोर्चे, धरणे देऊन शासनाचे लक्ष या प्रश्नाकडे वळविल्यास राज्य शासन कापसाचे भाव काही प्रमाणात वाढवून देईल, अशी शेतकर्‍यांना आशा होती. शासनाला वेठीस धरल्यास कापसाचे दर वाढतील, हे उसाच्या आंदोलनावरून शेतकर्‍यांना कळून चुकले होते. त्यावेळी आंतरराष्ट्रीय बाजारात कापसाला बर्‍यापैकी भाव मिळत असतानाही शेतकर्‍यांनी कापूस घरात साठवून आंदोलन केले.
या आंदोलनात विरोधकांसह सत्ताधारीही सहभागी झाले होते. सोबतच आगामी जिल्हा परिषद व पंचायत समिती निवडणूक डोळ्यासमोर ठेवून सत्ताधारी कापसाचे दर वाढवतील, ही आशा शेतकर्‍यांना होती. परंतु राज्य शासनाने कापूस उत्पादक शेतकर्‍यांसमोर न झुकता पॅकेज जाहीर करून शेतकर्‍यांच्या तोंडाला पाने पुसली. त्यामुळे शेतकरी प्रचंड निराश झाले आहे. त्यांच्या मनात राजकीय पक्षांविषयी प्रचंड असंतोष खदखदत आहे.
हिवाळी अधिवेशनात सत्ताधारी लोकप्रतिनिधींसोबतच विरोधी लोकप्रतिनिधी कापसाच्या प्रश्नावरून रान उठवतील, हा शेतकर्‍यांचा अंदाज फोल ठरला. राजकीय पक्षांनी नौटंकी करीत आठवडा काढला. परंतु शेतकरी मात्र निराशेच्या गर्तेतच ढकलला गेला. कापसाचे भाव वाढण्याची आशा धूसर झाल्यामुळे उद्विग्न शेतकरी आता कापूस विक्रीकडे वळला आहे. कापूस विक्रीसाठी शेतकर्‍याची गर्दी वाढली आहे.
कापसाची आवक वाढताच कापसाचे दर खाली आले आहेत. सध्या तीन हजार ७00 रुपयापर्यंत कापसाचे भाव खाली आहेत. आंतरराष्ट्रीय बाजारात कापसाचे भाव घसरल्याने कापसाचे भाव पुन्हा खाली येण्याच्या भीतीने शेतकर्‍यांनी कापूस विकण्याची घाई चालविली आहे. त्याचा लाभ घेत आहेत. कापूस विक्रीसाठी गर्दी वाढताच विविध कारणे सांगून व्यापारी कापूस कमी दरात खरेदी करीत आहेत. त्यामुळे बळीराजा आर्थिक कोंडीत सापडला आहे.

Complaints against BT cotton grow-DAWN.COM Inbox x

2011-12-21T03:47:00.000-08:00

Complaints against BT cotton grow

Posted By Suhail Yusuf On December 19, 2011 @ 1:56 pm In

Home > HIGHLIGHTS,Latest News,Sci-tech > Editor's Choice,Sci-tech > Top Stories 1 |

It is a matter of worry that after the use of BT cottonseed oil, its toxicity is also harming humans who may have been suffering from various diseases due to its use. – File Photo AFP

TOBA TEK SINGH, Dec 18: Farmers have complained that cottonseed cakes available in the market are harming their cattle as their animals are suffering from diseases, specially lack of appetite, and decline in milk production, premature deliveries and sudden deaths due to unknown cause.

A progressive farmer, Arshad Warraich, of Chak 328-JB said the taste of milk, yogurt, lassi, butter and desi ghee had also been affected as a result and the bitterness was found in them.

Agriculture department deputy district officer Khalid Mahmood said that nearly 90 per cent of the cotton sown in the district was of BT (Bacillus Thuringiensis) type and cotton ginning factories supplied most of cottonseed cakes produced from its seed (banola).

He claimed that farmers had left old types of cotton varieties and turned to the most profit-earning crop.

Earlier, the per acre yield of cotton crop was 30 to 40 maund and with the use of BT cotton the per acre yield has increased between 50 and 60 maund.

Cottonseed cake sellers said that farmers lodged complaints with them that their animals were facing varied types of diseases due to cottonseed cakes.

They said farmers tried to get seedcakes prepared from mustard, canola or rapeseed but their production was very limited.

An agricultural scientist Dr Javed Iqbal said the BT cotton had been invented with such genes in it which had insecticidal action against both types of bollworms (American and spotted) attacks, but at the same time it had the potential to cause toxic impact on animals.

He said the BT cotton could resist against only two types of insects `American and spotted bollworms`, but other types of sucking pests were still needed to be controlled through the use of pesticides.

It is a matter of worry that after the use of BT cottonseed oil, its toxicity is also harming humans who may have been suffering from various diseases due to its use.

A group of growers said the skin-related itching was also possibly caused by the use of BT cottonseed cakes to animals and by the use of their milk and milk products and ghee and oil to humans.

Some ghee and cooking oil sellers claimed that factories across the country were using more than 70 per cent BT cottonseed for producing cooking oil and ghee.

Some women from rural area this correspondent talked to said they had been experiencing for two years less quantity of fat on boiled milk while the milk production of each buffalo had reduced to almost half than previous years when the BTcotton was not sown in the area.

Milk sellers said customers also complained to them about less fat on boiled milk, blaming them that substandard milk was being supplied to them.

Peasant women workers network chairperson Rafia Salomi revealed that there was a surge in skin problems among the peasant women picking BT cotton lint.

Human rights activist Ashfaq Fateh demanded of the government to form a committee of scientists to analyze if the use of BT cottonseed, its cakes and oil had any harmful effects for animals and humans.

Grain market commission agents disclosed that there was much more money in cultivation of the BT cotton, but it was causing a decline in sowing of wheat, and if the situation continued Pakistan would have to import sufficient quantity of wheat.

They said the BT cotton was sown in February and March and it took at least 270 days (nine months) to harvest it, and when the sowing season of wheat approached from Nov 15 to Dec 15, its fields were already occupied by the standing BT cotton.

They said that old varieties of cotton took only six months and farmers were free to use the same land for sowing of wheat which took only 180 days for its harvesting.

बीटी कापसाचे महाराष्ट्रात हेक्टरी सव्वा कि्वटल रुईचे उत्पादन -कृषिमंत्री पवार

2011-12-20T21:54:00.001-08:00

आत्महत्याग्रस्त शेतकरयांची समस्या-सांसदीय समितीच्या नियुक्तीच्या घोषणेचे विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समितीकडून स्वागत

बीटी कापसाचे महाराष्ट्रात हेक्टरी सव्वा कि्वटल रुईचे उत्पादन असल्याची कृषिमंत्री पवार यांची माहिती

त. भा. वा.,यवतमाळ, २० डिसेंबर

राज्य सरकारकडून केंद्र सरकारला शेतकरयांच्या आत्महत्येचा आकडा ८८० असल्याची माहिती असताना केंद्र सरकारच्या गृहखात्याच्या अधिकृत राष्ट्रीय गुन्हे सामग्री आयोगाने दिलेल्या माहितीप्रमाणे भारतात शेतकरयांच्या आत्महत्येच आकडा १५ हजार ६८० आहे. त्यामुळे राज्यसभेतील कृषीसंबंधी चर्चेवेळी शरद पवार यांची सर्वच पक्षांच्या खासदारांनी कोंडी केली. शेवटी लोकसभा व राज्यसभेच्या खासदारांची संयुक्त समिती नियुक्त करून आत्महत्याग्रस्त १० राज्यांचा दौरा करून शेतकरयांच्या समस्येची व आत्महत्यांच्या कारणांची प्रत्यक्ष समीक्षा करून एका वर्षभरात आपल्या शिफारशींसह अहवाल सादर करण्याचा निर्णय घेतल्या गेला. निर्णयाचे विदर्भातील आत्महत्येच्या विषयांवर सतत पाठपुरावा करणारया विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समितीचे नेते किशोर तिवारी यांनी स्वागत केले आहे.
शेतकरयांच्या आत्महत्यांची संख्या व कृषी संकटाची तीव्रता यांचा संबंध जोडून वास्तविक कृषी संकटांपासून देशाला दूर ठेवत आहे. विदर्भात २००५ पासून दर ८ तासाला १ शेतकरयाची आत्महत्या होत असताना सरकार प्रशासनाला हाताशी घेऊन आत्महत्या कमी झाल्याचे व त्या अनुषंगाने कृषीसंकट कमी झाल्याचा देखावा करत आहे. मात्र, प्रत्यक्षात २००५ मधील कृषी संकटांपेक्षा २०११ कृषी संकट अतिशय गंभीर असून सांसदीय समितीसमोर आम्ही हे सत्य मांडण्याचा प्रयत्न करू, अशी माहितीसुद्धा तिवारी यांनी दिली.
बीटी कापसाचे महाराष्ट्रात हेक्टरी सव्वा कि्वटल रुईचे उत्पादन असल्याची कृषिमंत्री पवार यांची माहिती
प्रत्येक वेळेस सरकार शरद पवार यांनी, महाराष्ट्रातील ४० लाख हेक्टरवरील कोरडवाहू शेतीत शेतकरी बीटी कापसाचे पीक घेत असून मागील ३ वर्षांत या शेतकरयांना कापसाचे उत्पन्न प्रति हेक्टर सव्वा कि्वटल रुईचे झाले असून, प्रत्येक शेतकरयाला प्रत्येक कि्वटलमागे कमीत कमी ५ हजार रुपयांचे नुकसान होत असल्याची कबुली प्रथमत: शरद पवार यांनी दिली आहे. मात्र, बीटी कापसाचे पीक घेण्यास महाराष्ट्राचे कोरडवाहू शेतकरीच जबाबदार असल्याची धक्कादायक माहिती देऊन त्यांनी केंद्र सरकारकडून या शेतकरयांना वाचविण्यासाठी होणारया मदतीपासून वंचित ठेवण्याचा प्रयत्न केला आहे.

महाराष्ट्रात जून २००५ मध्ये बीटी कापसाच्या बियाण्याला कृषीमंत्री शरद पवार यांनीच परवानगी दिली. त्यांनी सतत बीटी बियाण्याचा प्रचार केल्यामुळे २००५ मध्ये ४ लाख हेक्टरमध्ये असलेले बीटी कापसाचे पीक आता ४४ लाख हेक्टरमध्ये झाले आहे. सरकारने कृषी संशोधन परिषदेच्या नागपूर येथील देशी बीटी बियाण्यांच्या विक्रीवरही बंदी लावली आहे. महाराष्ट्रातील ४४ लाख हेक्टरमधील कोरडवाहू शेतकरयांच्या कमीतकमी २० हजार कोटींच्या आर्थिक नुकसानीला प्रत्यक्षपणे शरद पवार जबाबदार असून आता कोरडवाहू शेतकरयांच्या पद्धतीवर खापर फोडणे म्हणजे आत्महत्या करीत असलेल्या शेतकरयांच्या जखमेवर मीठ चोळणेच होय. सरकारने शेतकरयांना कंगाल करणारया व आत्महत्येच्या मार्गावर लावणारया बीटी कापसावर सिचनाची व्यवस्था नसणारया कोरडवाहू क्षेत्रात तात्काळ बंदी करावी, अशी मागणी किशोर तिवारी यांनी केली आहे.

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सरकारचे पॅकेज शेतकऱ्यांना अमान्य-सकाळ वृत्तसेवा

2011-12-18T21:53:00.000-08:00

सरकारचे पॅकेज शेतकऱ्यांना अमान्य

सकाळ वृत्तसेवा

Monday, December 19, 2011 AT 03:00 AM (IST)

Tags: yavatmal, packege, vidarbha

http://esakal.com/eSakal/20111219/5204356389514462248.htm
यवतमाळ - सुमारे 90 लाख हेक्‍टरवर शेतजमिनीत नापिकी झाल्याने तेथील शेतकऱ्यांना मदत देण्यासाठी महाराष्ट्र सरकारने दोन हजार कोटी रुपयांचे पॅकेज जाहीर केले. परंतु, ही एक धूळफेक असून, पॅकेजची रक्कम दोन वर्षांत देणार असून, यामध्ये पश्‍चिम विदर्भाच्या शेतकऱ्यांचे भले होणार नाही, हे आता स्पष्ट झाले आहे. म्हणून कापसाचा हमीभाव सहा हजार रुपये व्हावा, सर्व शेतकऱ्यांना नवीन पीककर्ज मिळावे, नापिकी झालेल्या शेतकऱ्यांना हेक्‍टरी दहा हजार रुपये कमीत कमी पाच हेक्‍टरपर्यंत मिळावे, या शेतकऱ्यांच्या प्रमुख मागण्या असून, या मागण्यांसाठी येत्या 25 डिसेंबरपासून "गाव तेथे उपोषण' आंदोलन करण्याचा निर्धार विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समितीने केला आहे.

सुमारे 90 लाख हेक्‍टरमध्ये यावर्षी नापिकी झाली असल्याची कबुली सरकारने दिली आहे. यामध्ये सर्व शेतकरी कोरडवाहू आहेत. कापूस, सोयाबीन व धानाचे पीक जेमतेम 20 ते 30 टक्के झालेले आहे. त्यातच लागलेला खर्च व मिळत असलेला भाव यामुळे शेतकरी कमीत कमी 20 हजार कोटींच्या आर्थिक नुकसानीला तोंड देत आहेत. अशावेळी सरकार पश्‍चिम महाराष्ट्राच्या ऊस उत्पादक शेतकऱ्यांना हेक्‍टरी 25 ते 30 हजार रुपये मदत देते, त्याप्रमाणे या शेतकऱ्यांनाही भरघोस मदत देईल व कॉंग्रेस व राष्ट्रवादी कॉंग्रेसचे मंत्री व आमदार वारंवार विनंती करत असल्यामुळे सरकार यावेळेला विदर्भाला न्याय देईल, असे वाटत होते. मात्र, प्रत्यक्षात या पॅकेजमध्ये पश्‍चिम विदर्भातील कापूस उत्पादक पाच जिल्हे प्रचंड प्रमाणात वंचित राहतील, अशी दाट शक्‍यता आहे. कारण अमरावती महसूल विभागाने या विभागात नापिकीचा अहवालच दिलेला नाही. एकूण क्षेत्र 90 लाख हेक्‍टर असताना सरकार ही मदत शेतकऱ्यांना कशी देईल, यावर प्रश्‍नचिन्ह असून, प्रत्येक वर्षासारखे हे पॅकेजसुद्धा एक धूळफेकच ठरणार असल्याची टीका किशोर तिवारी यांनी केली आहे.

सरकारने कापूस, सोयाबीन व धानाच्या हमीभाव वाढीचा प्रश्‍न तत्काळ निकालात लावावा व पॅकेजची मदत कमीत कमी दहा हजार रुपये प्रतिहेक्‍टरपर्यंत आणावी, अशी किमान मागणी नैराश्‍यग्रस्त शेतकऱ्यांची आहे. शेतकऱ्यांच्या आत्महत्या रोखण्यासाठी दिलेल्या पॅकेजवर फेरविचार व्हावा, अशी मागणीही विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समितीने केली आहे.
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Farmers reject CM package, call it an eyewash; agitate-

2011-12-16T11:11:00.000-08:00

Farmers reject CM package, call it an eyewash; agitate
Special Correspondent

Friday, December 16, 2011 AT 12:23 PM (IST)
http://www.sakaaltimes.com/SakaalTimesBeta/20111216/4773370086749433016.htm

Tags: Farmer, suicide, package, VJAS, Prithviraj Chavan Nagpur, Vidarbha, Maharashtra

NAGPUR: A day after four farmers committed suicide in Vidarbha and the Chief Minister announced a Rs 2,000-cr package, farmers of Maharashtra's eastern region on Thursday staged a road blockade on two highways to press for their demand of better support prices for cotton, soya and paddy.

The four deaths took the toll of farmer suicides in the State to 722 in 2011 alone. Terming the package as an eyewash, VJAS founder-president Kishor Tiwari said: “The crop loss compensation is another eyewash as earlier Vidarbha farmers’ packages in 2005 and 2006 have dashed hopes of more than 5 million farmers, who are facing severe crisis due to massive crop failure and are demanding the bailout package and hike in MSP of cotton ,soybean and paddy.”

“We are demanding a long-term solution to agrarian crisis not any package, which are mostly contractor driven and designed to rehabilitation of the ill managed politician-run cooperative banks. Our government is working for handful MNCs, which are manufacturing GM seeds, fertiliser and pesticides and revival of own agriculture is must which is not being done,” Tiwari said.

VJAS has urged the Centre to send a team of experts to assess the Bt cotton crop damage in Maharashtra, and west Vidarbha in particular where cotton farmers are killing themselves. VJAS has been demanding hike in cotton MSP Rs 6000 per quintal and relief package to dying cotton farmers of region, Tiwari added.

Chief Minister Prirhviraj Chavan on Wednesday announced during the winter session of Maharashtra Legislature in Nagpur that the financial package would cover all cotton farmers, while only those soyabean and paddy growers whose yield was less than 25 per cent would be given assistance.

He said the financial assistance would cover a total area of 85 lakh hectares - 40 lakh hectares of cotton, 30 of soyabean and 15 lakh hectares of paddy. “The farmers might settle for something that is close to their losses. But a mere Rs 2,000 crore package is not even worth peanuts,” said Kishor Tiwari. Supporting the agitation in a unique way were residents of Ralegaon, a small village in Yavatmal district, 160 km from Nagpur. Several spots on the National Highway Nos. 6 and 7 saw agitating farmers demand Rs 6,000 as the minimum support price for raw cotton as against the market price of Rs.4,000 per quintal.

नागपूर-हैदराबाद मार्गावर शेतकरी विधवांचा रास्तारोको-विदर्भात ठिकठिकाणी आंदोलन

2011-12-15T22:02:00.000-08:00

नागपूर-हैदराबाद मार्गावर शेतकरी विधवांचा रास्तारोको-विदर्भात ठिकठिकाणी आंदोलन

लोकशाही वार्ता/१५डिसेंबर

पांढरकवडा : विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समितीच्या नेतृत्वात शेतकरी विधवा आणि शेतकर्‍यांनी तुळजापूर-नागपूर या राष्ट्रीय महामार्गावर आज अर्जुना येथे रास्तारोको आंदोलन करून दीड तास वाहतूक रोखली आणि शासनाच्या धोरणाचा निषेध नोंदविला. सुमारे सहाशे आंदोलकांमध्ये बोथबोडन, वारा कवठा, भोपा मांडवी, पाटणबोरी व इतर गावातील शेतकरी विधवा सहभागी झाल्या होत्या.
तसेच, गजानन बेजंकीवार यांच्या नेतृत्वात पाटणबोरी येथे नागपूर-हैदराबाद राष्ट्रीय महामार्गावरही वाहतूक रोखण्यात आली होती. वणी, उमरखेड येथेही रास्तारोको आंदोलन झाले, तर राळेगाव येथे आघाडी सरकारची तेरवी करण्यात आली! दारव्हा येथे शेतकर्‍यांनी तहसील कार्यालयावर बैलबंडी मोर्चा काढून आपला संताप व्यक्त केला.
कापसाला चांगला भाव देण्यासाठी काल जाहीर केलेले पॅकेज वाढवून द्यावे, अशी मागणी या आंदोलनात करण्यात आली. सरकारने कापूस, सोयाबीन, धान या पिकांचा प्रश्न तत्काळ निकाली काढावा, पॅकेजची मदत कमीत कमी दहा हजार रुपये प्रतिहेक्टर असावी अशी मागणी करणार्‍या या आंदोलकांना अटक केल्यानंतरच राष्ट्रीय महामागार्ंवरील आणि इतरत्रची वाहतूक सुरळीत झाली.
दरम्यान, शेतकर्‍यांच्या आत्महत्या रोखण्यासाठी पॅकेजवर फेरविचार करण्याची मागणी विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समितीने केली आहे. सरकारने कोरडवाहू शेतकर्‍यांना नगदी अनुदान द्यावे, त्यांना आरोग्यसेवा, शिक्षण, अन्न सुरक्षा व रोजगार या क्षेत्रांसाठी विशेष सोयीसवलती द्याव्या अशा मागण्या किशोर तिवारी यांनी केल्या. दीडशे शेतकर्‍यांविरुद्ध पोलिसांनी गुन्हे नोंदविण्याची प्रक्रिया सुरू केली असल्याचा आरोप तिवारी यांनी केला आहे.

शेतकर्‍यांना पाच हजार कोटींचे पॅकेज तरीही हाती विषाचा प्याला-लोकमत

2011-12-13T00:04:00.000-08:00

शेतकर्‍यांना पाच हजार कोटींचे पॅकेज तरीही हाती विषाचा प्याला-लोकमत
(13-12-2011 : 00:18:54)
http://onlinenews1.lokmat.com/staticpages/editions/today/main/
NagpurEdition-MainNews.php
गजानन चोपडे। दि.१२ (यवतमाळ)

पंतप्रधान आणि मुख्यमंत्र्यांनी घोषित केलेले सुमारे पाच हजार कोटींचे पॅकेजही कास्तकारांच्या आत्महत्येचे सत्र थांबवू शकले नाही. गेल्या ११ वर्षांत सहा जिल्ह्यात आठ हजार १३१ कास्तकारांनी कर्जाच्या डोंगराखाली दबून विषाचा घोट घेतला आहे. शासनाकडून देण्यात आलेल्या मदतीचे वाटप रोख स्वरुपात आत्महत्याग्रस्त कुंटुंबांना झाले असते तरी बळीराजाचे जीवनमान बहुवंशी सुधारले असते, असेच आता वाटू लागले आहे. विशेष म्हणजे, पॅकेजचे वाटप करण्यासाठी नेमण्यात आलेल्या आयुक्त दर्जाच्या अधिकार्‍यांनीही सतत दुर्लक्ष केले. परिणामी अधिकार्‍यांपासून तर दलालांपर्यंंत सार्‍यांनीच या पॅकेजचा मलिदा मनसोक्तपणे लाटला.
विदर्भातील यवतमाळ, अमरावती, अकोला, बुलडाणा, वाशिम आणि वर्धा या सहा जिल्ह्यांत कास्तकारांच्या सर्वाधिक आत्महत्या झाल्याची नोंद आहे. त्यातही यवतमाळ जिल्ह्यात शेतकरी आत्महत्यांनी कळस गाठला. ११ वर्षांंत यवतमाळात दोन हजार ३0४ शेतकर्‍यांनी जीवनयात्रा संपविली. त्या खालोखाल अमरावतीत एक हजार ८१0, अकोला एक हजार ८५, बुलडाणा एक हजार २४0, वाशिम ८९९ तर वर्धेत ७९३ शेतकरी कर्जबाजारीपणाचे बळी ठरले. सहा जिल्ह्यात असा एकही दिवस नाही उजाळला, ज्या दिवशी शेतकर्‍याने मृत्यूला कवटाळले नाही. शासनापासून तर माध्यमांपर्यंंत सर्वांंनीच शेतकरी आत्महत्या रोखण्यासाठी प्रयत्न केलीत; मात्र शासनाची मदत जखम पायाला अन् पट्टी डोक्याला बांधणारी ठरली.
शेतकरी आत्महत्या रोखण्यासाठी ८ डिसेंबर २00५ साली तत्कालीन मुख्यमंत्री विलासराव देशमुख यांनी एक हजार ७५ कोटींचे पॅकेज जाहीर केले खरे; पण एप्रिल २00६ पर्यंंत कास्तकाराच्या पदरी एक छदामही पडला नव्हता. एकंदरीत मुख्यमंत्र्यांचे पॅकेज फुसका बार ठरला, असे म्हटल्यास वावगे ठरू नये. त्यानंतर १ जुलै २00६ रोजी खुद्द पंतप्रधान मनमोहनसिंग यांनी विदर्भाचा दौरा करून शेतकरी आत्महत्येचे दाहक वास्तव अनुभवले. विशेष बाब म्हणून या सहा जिल्ह्यांसाठी तीन हजार ७५0 कोटी रुपयांचे पॅकेज घोषित केले. परंतु मदतीचा हा निधीही ३१ मार्च २00७ पर्यंंत राज्य शासनाच्या तिजोरीत पोहचला नव्हता. कर्जावरील २५ हजारांपर्यंंतची व्याज माफी, अल्प मुदतीच्या पीक कर्जावर पूर्ण व्याज माफी देण्याचे वचन शासनाकडून देण्यात आले. उर्वरित रक्कम सिंचन प्रकल्पांवर खर्च केल्याचे दाखविण्यात आले. एव्हाना तब्बल ५0 हजार कोटींची कामे सुरू करण्यात आली. केवळ दहा टक्के निधी उपलब्ध असताना ही कामे कंत्राटदारांना देण्यात आली. नंतर शेतकर्‍यांसाठीचे पॅकेज कंत्राटदारांच्या पॅकेजमध्ये आपसुकच वळते झाले. या कामात मोठा गौडबंगाल झाला. या भ्रष्टाचाराची चौकशी करण्याकरिता आमदार गिरीष बापट यांच्या अध्यक्षतेखाली समिती नेमण्यात आली. समितीचा अहवालाही तयार झाला. मात्र नंतर काय झाले, हा प्रश्न अद्यापही निरुत्तरीत आहे. महालेखाकार समितीनेही या महाभ्रष्टाचाराची गांभीर्याने दखल घेतली. भ्रष्टाचाराचा पर्दाफाश केला. परंतु केवळ पॅकेजची अंमलबजावणी बरोबर झाली नाही असे सांगत शासनानेही हातवर केले. कास्तकारांच्या हक्काचा निधी दलालांनीच गडप केला. यानंतर विदर्भातील सहा जिल्ह्यांना डोळ्यापुढे ठेऊन अख्या देशातील शेतकर्‍यांचे कर्जमाफ करण्यासाठी ७२ हजार कोटींची योजना आली. परंतु जाचक अटींमुळे ती देखील निर्थक ठरली.
अडचणीत असलेल्या शेतकर्‍यांना पंतप्रधान व मुख्यमंत्री सहायता निधीतून सानुग्रह अनुदान देण्यात आले. यवतमाळ जिल्ह्यात शिक्षणासाठी ५५६ लाख आणि आरोग्यासाठी ९६४ लाख रुपये देण्यात आले. पंतप्रधान पॅकेज अंतर्गत शेतकर्‍याचे जीवनमान उंचवावे यासाठी सिंचन सुविधा उपलब्ध करून देण्यात आल्या. प्रकल्पनिहाय भूसंपादनासाठी निधी उपलब्ध करण्यात आला. पेरणीच्यावेळी शेतकर्‍याची आर्थिक कोंडी सोडविण्यासाठी खरीप हंगामात बियाणे वाटप करण्यात आले. २३ लाख पाच हजार ९६२ लाभार्थ्यांंना खरिपाचे बियाणे अनुदानावर देण्यात आले. रबी हंगामातही शेतकर्‍यांना बियाणे अनुदानावर देण्यात आले. सुक्ष्म सिंचनाअंतर्गत ठिबक सिंचनासाठी शेतकर्‍यांना १४ कोटी ३0 लाख रुपये वितरित करण्यात आले. या सोबतच कृषी तंत्रज्ञान व्यवस्थापनाअंतर्गत शेतकर्‍यांना प्रशिक्षण, प्रात्यक्षिक, माहिती व सल्ला केंद्र, शेतकरी चर्चासत्र, प्रदर्शन भरविण्यात आले. शेती पूरक व्यवसायासाठी दुधाळ जनावरे आणि शेतीपयोगी अवजारांचेही शेतकर्‍यांना वितरण करण्यात आले. शेतकरी आत्महत्या रोखण्याचा निव्वळ कांगावा या सर्व योजनांतून करण्यात आला. प्रत्यक्ष स्थिती मात्र वेगळी होती. सिंचनाच्या नावाखाली दिलेला निधी प्रत्यक्षात शेतकर्‍यांपर्यंंत पोहोचलाच नाही. पंतप्रधान पॅकेजच्या विहिरींची अवस्था आजही दयनीय आहे. दुधाळ जनावरांच्या नावाखाली शेतकर्‍यांना भाकड जनावरे देण्यात आली. बहुतांश प्रकरणात तर कागदोपत्रीच जनावरांची खरेदी करण्यात आली. निकृष्ठ दर्जाची कृषी अवजारे देण्यात आली. कृषी खात्याच्या सल्ल्यावरून खासगी कंपनींशी साटेलोटे करत अवजारे खरेदी करण्यात आली. काही दिवसांतच ही अवजारे कास्तकारांसाठी डोकेदुखी ठरली. शिवसेनेचे आमदार संजय राठोड यांनीतर विधीमंडळ अधिवेशनात निकृष्ठ दर्जाच्या अवजारांची चक्क प्रदर्शनी लावून कृषी खात्याच्या गचाळ कारभाराची लक्तरेच वेशीवर टांगली होती. कृषी कर्ज माफी आणि कर्ज परतफेड सवलत योजनेचा लाभ देताना सहकार क्षेत्रातील बँकाच गब्बर झाल्यात अन् कास्तकार मात्र कर्जाच्या गर्तेत पुरता अडकत गेला.
शेतकरी पॅकेजच्या अंमलबजावणी आणि नियंत्रणासाठी अमरावतीच्या विभागीय आयुक्त कार्यालयात वसंतराव नाईक शेतकरी स्वावलंबन मिशनचे स्वतंत्र कार्यालय थाटण्यात आले. आयुक्त दर्जाचा अधिकारी या कार्यालयाचा प्रमुख होता. परंतु गेल्या पाच वर्षात पॅकेजच्या या कार्यालयाला पूर्णवेळ पिठासीन अधिकारीच मिळाला नाही. नियुक्त्या झाल्यानंतर तेथील अधिकार्‍यांनी अवघ्या काही महिन्यातच आपले इतरत्र पुनर्वसन करून घेतले. त्यामुळे पॅकेजच्या अंमलबजावणीवर सुरुवातीपासूनच या कार्यालयाचे नियंत्रण नव्हते. त्याचा परिणाम पॅकेजमध्ये भ्रष्टाचार फोफावण्यावर झाला. आजच्या घडीलाही पॅकेजच्या कार्यालयाला कुणीच वाली नाही. दीड वर्षांंपासून पिठासीन अधिकार्‍याचे पद रिक्त आहे. लिपीकवर्गीय यंत्रणेलाही तेथून हटविण्यात आले. परिणामी या कार्यालयाला सध्यातरी जणू कुलूपच लागले आहे.
संकेत स्थळावर जुनीच माहिती
शेतकरी आत्महत्यांची नोंद नावासकट करण्यासाठी ‘वसंतराव नाईक शेतकरी स्वावलंबन मिशन’ या नावाने संकेत स्थळ तयार करण्यात आले होते. मात्र गेल्या दीड वर्षांंंपासून ते ‘अपडेट’ नाही. वास्तविक आत्महत्या करणार्‍या शेतकर्‍यांचे नाव, कर्ज वाटपाची नावासह माहिती, सिंचन प्रकल्पांची प्रगती तसेच इतर शेतकर्‍यांची माहिती दररोज या संकेत स्थळावर ‘अपडेट’ करण्याच्या सूचना आहेत. परंतु याकडे कुणीही लक्ष देत नाही. एकंदरीत शेतकरी आत्महत्येला गांभीर्याने घेण्याऐवजी थट्टा केली जात आहे.
डिसेंबरच्या सुरुवातीलाच विदर्भात
११ शेतकर्यांच्या आत्महत्या‍
विदर्भातील नापिकी व कर्जबाजारीपणामुळे नैराश्याला तोंड देत असलेल्या ३0 लाख शेतकर्‍यांपैकी आणखी ११ शेतकर्‍यांनी आत्महत्या केल्याच्या घटना समोर आल्या आहेत. महादेव सपकाळ रा. तालखेड, जि. बुलढाणा, भीमराव कुळसंगे, रा. धानाली, जि. वर्धा, फत्तू पायडलवार, रा. झटगाव, जि. भंडारा, शंकर काटेकर, रा. दाढीपेठी जि. अमरावती, भगवान मेश्राम रा. केळझरा जि. यवतमाळ, गजानन भोंगडे रा. बेलोरा जि. यवतमाळ, बाळाभाऊ राठोड रा. उमरदरी जि. वाशिम, किशोर तलमले रा. उमरी पठार जि. यवतमाळ, संदीप खडसे रा. कोडपाखिंडी जि. यवतमाळ, तुकाराम सातपुते रा. केनवड जि. वाशिम, देविदास सारोळकर रा. थड जि. बुलढाणा या दहा शेतकर्‍यांनी आत्महत्या केल्याचे विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समितीचे सचिव मोहन जाधव यांनी एका पत्रकात म्हटले आहे.

वेगळ्या विदर्भ राज्याचे समर्थन करणारयांनाच मतदान करा- किशोर तिवारी यांचे आवाहन -तरुण भारत

2011-12-09T21:00:00.000-08:00

वेगळ्या विदर्भ राज्याचे समर्थन करणारयांनाच मतदान करा- किशोर तिवारी
यांचे आवाहन -तरुण भारत
यवतमाळ, ९ डिसेंबर

पश्चिम महाराष्ट्राच्या राज्यकत्र्यांनी, विदर्भावर अन्यायाचा कहरच केला, असून विदर्भात होत असलेल्या, शेतकरयांच्या आत्महत्यांना आघाडी, सरकारमधील काँग्रेस व राष्ट्रवादी, काँग्रेसचे नेतेच जबाबदार असून, विदर्भाचा ५० वर्षांचा अनुशेष भरून, काढण्यासाठी शेतकरयांच्या, आत्महत्या, आदिवासींचे कुपोषण व, बेरोजगारांना रोजगार देण्यासाठी आता, वेगळा विदर्भ राज्य, होणे हा एकमेव, तोडगा आहे. येत्या, ११ तारखेला होत, असलेल्या नगर, परिषद निवडणुकीत जे उमेदवार व पक्ष, वेगळ्या विदर्भाच्या मागणीला समर्थन, देतील त्याच उमेदवारांना मतदान करा, असे कळकळीचे आवाहन विदर्भ, जनआंदोलन समितीचे नेते किशोर, तिवारी यांनी केले., भ्रष्टाचारविरोधी आघाडीचे घाटंजी, येथील अपक्ष उमेदवार मधुकर निस्ताने, यांच्या प्रचारसभेत बोलताना तिवारी, यांनी हे आवाहन केले त्यावेळी शेकडो, येथील नागरिकांनी या मागणीला पाठिबा, दिला.
विदर्भ सर्व जगात भारताच्या, शेतकरयांच्या आत्महत्येची राजधानी, म्हणून कुप्रसिद्ध झाला आहे. एकेकाळी, या वरहाडाला सोन्याची खाण म्हणण्यात, येत होती ती आज पश्चिम महाराष्ट्राच्या, नेत्यांनी शेतकरयाच्या आत्महत्येच्या, स्मशानभूमित परावर्तीत केली आहे., त. भा. वा., यवतमाळ, ९ डिसेंबर, अशा परिस्थितीमध्ये विदर्भाच्या दबंग, नेत्यांनी पश्चिम महाराष्ट्राच्या नेतृत्वाची, कास धरून, त्यांच्या कुबड्या घेऊन, सत्तेच्या पायरया चढून संपत्ती गोळा, करणे सोडावे व विदर्भाच्या, स्वातंत्र्याच्या या लढाईमध्ये नवीन युवा, नेतृत्वाला समोर करून, त्यांच्या पाठीशी, तन मन धन लावून उभे राहावे, असा, सल्लाही किशोर तिवारी यांनी दिला. ज्या, पश्चिम महाराष्ट्राच्या नेत्यांनी या, महाराष्ट्राला लुटून २ लाख कोटींच्यावर, कर्ज या महाराष्ट्रावर केले असून, महामहीम, राज्यपालांच्या, आदेशानंतरही, विदर्भाला, घटनात्मक, हक्काचा विकासाचा निधी सतत १०, वर्षांपासून देण्यात येत नाही. विदर्भाच्या, विकासाच्या चितेवर अभ्यास, करण्यासाठी समित्यांवर समित्या, बसविल्या जातात. अशीच एक केळकर, समिती सध्या विदर्भात फिरत असून सर्व, नेत्यांनी व अभ्यासकांनी या अभ्यास, समितीसमोर फक्त वेगळ्या विदर्भाची, मागणी रेटावी, अशी विनंतीही किशोर, तिवारी यांनी यावेळी केली.
विदर्भाचा, मागासलेपणा व औद्योगिकीकरणामध्ये, झालेली पीछेहाट व शेतकरी, आदिवासींचे होत असलेले शोषण हे, पश्चिम महाराष्ट्राच्या दलाली करणारया, पोटभरू नेत्यांची विदर्भाला देण असून, या सर्व नेत्यांना त्यांची जागा, दाखवण्याची संधी नप निवडणुकीच्या, निमित्ताने आली आहे., वेगळ्या विदर्भ राज्याचे समर्थन, करणारयांनाच मतदान करा, किशोर तिवारी, यांचे आवाहन

Now It’s official that Bt.cotton failed 12 million hectors in India

2011-12-08T01:31:00.000-08:00

Now It’s official that Bt.cotton failed 12 million hectors in India

Nagpur , Dec.7, 2011

As per recent admission of Dr C.D. Mayee, President of Indian Society for Cotton Improvement who was instrumental in giving blanket permission for commercial trials of genetically modified (GM) Bt.cotton seed notoriously known as killer seed in part of cotton growing region of India where more than 2 lakhs cotton farmers committed suicides in last decade to US seed giant Monsanto Inc that Cotton yield in the country seems to be on a downswing in the last three years, as per official figure of ICAR, Bt.cotton yield per hectare hit a record 554 kg in 2007-08. Sinc

e then, it has been dropping, touching 486 kg/hectare in 2009-10 before rising to 496 kg/hectare last season. This season, too, the yield is expected to be drop down to significant low level this year because the Bt strains and hybrids, that account for nearly 95 per cent of the total area under cotton, are losing their strength but the Cotton research scientists have a different take on the drop in yield but fact is that area under cotton has touched a record 121.91 lakh hectares (lh) this year. When the yield hit a record 554 kg/hectare in 2007-08, the area under cotton was 94.14 lh and Scientists point out to Maharashtra as an example of more new areas coming un

der cotton. Dr. Mayee added.

“The problem with growing cotton in non-traditional dry land areas is that the productivity is low.

Some farmers in Maharashtra have taken to cotton farming without the requisite experience. It is one of the reasons for some committing suicide Since January, 704 farmers have reportedly committee suicide in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra,” said officials in Maharashtra Mantralaya

“Growing cotton in areas where it has never been sown is a problem since it could be rain-fed. This year, rainfall

has been erratic and it has affected cotton,” said the official.7

Cotton farmers shifting to Bollgard II that is supposed to be superior to Bollgard I pests, including sucking pests, leaf curl virus and jassids, are creating problems in cotton, resulting maximum use of pesticide and giving significant drop on production front .in last five years cultivation cost has jumped from Rs.5000/- hector has jumped to Rs.30,000/- hector in maharashtra and average yield and stable cost has caused huge economic losses to agrarian community in cotton growing areas and hence cotton afrmers suicides have been restarted ,Kishor Tiwari of Vidarbha Janandoan Samiti (VJAS) informed in press

release today.

‘The complete ban of killer seed Bt.cotton in rain fed areas of India is must and further permission of commercial trials any GM seed should be stopped immediately” Tiwari said.

Bt.cotton failure -Growing cotton in new areas dragging yield

2011-12-07T19:57:00.000-08:00

Growing cotton in new areas dragging yield

M. R. Subramani

Chennai, Dec. 7:

Cotton yield in the country seems to be on a downswing in the last three years, despite production set to scale a new peak this season that began in October.

The yield per hectare hit a record 554 kg in 2007-08. Since then, it has been dropping, touching 486 kg/hectare in 2009-10 before rising to 496 kg/hectare last season. This season, too, the yield is expected to be around the same level.

What are the reasons for the fall in yield? Is it because the Bt strains and hybrids, that account for nearly 95 per cent of the total area under cotton, are losing their strength?

Cotton research scientists have a different take on the drop in yield.

“In the last two years, cotton has been grown in new areas where it has never been grown before. It is fine to reach 100 lakh hectares, but it is not desirable to reach 200 lakh hectares,” said Dr C.D. Mayee, President of Indian Society for Cotton Improvement.

Area under cotton has touched a record 121.91 lakh hectares (lh) this year. When the yield hit a record 554 kg/hectare in 2007-08, the area under cotton was 94.14 lh.

“The problem with growing cotton in non-traditional areas is that the productivity is low,” said Dr Mayee.

Scientists point out to Maharashtra as an example of more new areas coming under cotton.

“Some farmers in Maharashtra have taken to cotton farming without the requisite experience. It is one of the reasons for some committing suicide,” said a Maharashtra official.

Since January, 704 farmers have reportedly committee suicide in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra.

“Growing cotton in areas where it has never been sown is a problem since it could be rain-fed. This year, rainfall has been erratic and it has affected cotton,” said the official.

Area under cotton in Maharashtra has increased 25 per cent to 40.95 lh this year.

Similarly, the area in Gujarat has increased nearly 20 per cent during the same period to 30.23 lh this year.

Gujarat's yield this year is projected at 647 kg/hectare against a peak of 772 kg/hectare registered in 2007-08 with total area under the fibre then being 24.22 lh.

Same is the case with States such as Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, though the picture is different in Rajasthan and Karnataka (See Table).

Fighting pests

With farmers shifting to Bollgard II that is supposed to be superior to Bollgard I in yield as well as fighting pests, scientists view may not be off the mark.

Though over half a dozen pests, including sucking pests, leaf curl virus and jassids, are creating problems in cotton, their influence on production is minimum.

“Pests problems exist in cotton but they are not at levels that threaten production” said Ms Sandhya Kranti in a presentation at the Global Cotton Research Conference in Mumbai last month.

Scientists also rule out any effect of Bt cotton on the soil and thereby leading to drop in yield.

Bt cotton accounts for 56 per cent of the total area under the crop in Gujarat, while it is 98 per cent in Andhra Pradesh.

It is over 90 per cent in Punjab, Haryana and Maharashtra. The GM variety makes up 75 per cent and 65 per cent of the total area in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, respectively.

Yields rebound

A scrutiny of data shows that yield in Punjab, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu rebounding, while dropping in other States.

According to Dr Zahoor Ahmad of Four Brothers Seed Corporation in Pakistan, cotton yield has almost doubled with the introduction of Bt cotton in the last two years. “Drop in yield is not due to Bt cotton,” he said.

The problem with the yield is that pulses and soyabean farmers have gone in for cotton.

The growing conditions are different for these crops and that's why the yield is dropping, according to research scientists.

कर्जाला कंटाळून दोन शेतकऱ्यांची आत्महत्या-सकाळ वृत्तसेवा

2011-12-06T19:58:00.000-08:00

कर्जाला कंटाळून दोन शेतकऱ्यांची आत्महत्या

सकाळ वृत्तसेवा

Tuesday, December 06, 2011 AT 10:44 PM (IST)

Tags: farmer, suicide, nagpur, vidarbha

नागपूर - नापिकी, कर्जबाजारीपणा तसेच शेतमालाला मिळत असलेला कवडीमोल भाव यातून विदर्भातील शेतकऱ्यांची परिस्थिती दिवसेंदिवस बिकट होत आहे. याच विमनस्क अवस्थेतून यवतमाळ आणि वाशीम जिल्ह्यातील दोन शेतकऱ्यांनी सोमवारी (ता. 5) आत्महत्या केल्याचे मंगळवारी उघड झाले आहे.
सावळी सदोबा (जि. यवतमाळ) येथून जवळ असलेल्या केळझरा येथील अल्पभूधारक शेतकरी भीमराव शिवराम मेश्राम (वय 56) यांनी सोमवारी (ता. पाच) घरात जाळून घेऊन आत्महत्या केली. त्यावेळी त्यांची पत्नी शेतात कापूस वेचण्यासाठी गेली होती.

भीमराव यांनी जाळून घेताच गावकऱ्यांनी त्यांना वाचविण्यासाठी धाव घेतली. त्यांना उपचारासाठी यवतमाळ रुग्णालयात दाखल केले. उपचारादम्यान त्यांचा मृत्यू झाला. भीमराव यांच्यावर 25 हजार रुपयांचे सोसायटीचे जुने कर्ज आहे. त्यांना यंदा सोसायटीने कर्ज दिले नसल्याचे समजते. यावर्षी कसेबसे करून शेती केली. चांगले पीक होईल, शिवाय गेल्यावर्षी कापसाचे चांगले भाव पाहून त्यांनी यावर्षी जास्त कापूस पेरला होता. पण, पावसाने दगा दिला आणि उत्पन्नच घटले. गेल्यावर्षी मुलीचे लग्न केल्यामुळे सोसायटीचे कर्ज फेडणे झाले नाही, असे त्यांच्या पत्नीने सांगितले.

मालेगाव (जि. वाशीम) तालुक्‍यातील उमरदरी या डोंगराळ भागातील गावातील शेतकरी बाळाभाऊ देवीचंद राठोड (वय 39) यांनी सोमवारी (ता. पाच) सायंकाळच्या सुमारास विषप्राशन केले. त्यांना तातडीने वाशीम येथील जिल्हा सामान्य रुग्णालयात दाखले केले असता उशिरा रात्री त्यांचा मृत्यू झाला. त्यांच्या नावावर 1.34 हेक्‍टर जमीन आहे. तसेच विविध बॅंकेचे कर्जसुद्धा आहे. कर्जबाजारीपणाला वैतागून त्यांनी विषप्राशन करून आत्महत्या केल्याचे ग्रामस्थांनी सांगितले. त्यांच्या पश्‍चात पत्नी, दोन मुले आणि एक मुलगी आहे.

Farmer critical after attempting suicide at Chavan’s rally-IANS

2011-12-04T05:02:00.000-08:00

Farmer critical after attempting suicide at Chavan’s rally

Sunday, December 04, 2011 6:22:13 PM by IANS ( Leave a comment )

Amravati (Maharashtra), Dec 4 (IANS) In a major embarrassment for Maharashtra’s ruling Democratic Front government, a debt-ridden farmer attempted suicide by consuming poison during an election rally of Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan in Dhamangaon village, near here, Sunday.

Arun Sabane (30), was shouting slogans demanding better prices for cotton and soyabean farmers along with other farmers, when suddenly, he whipped out a bottle of poison and consumed it in full public view, said NGO Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti chief Kishor Tiwari.

Police immediately rushed him to the nearby Dhamangaon civil hospital but when his condition failed to improve, he was shifted to the government hospital at the district headquarters.

Terming his condition as “critical,” Tiwari said that besides Sabane’s suicide attempt, 10 other debt-ridden farmers have already ended their lives in just the first four days of December.

Incidentally, this was the same venue visited by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh June 30, 2006 to provide “a healing touch” to the farmers of Vidarbha, when Chavan had accompanied him as the then minister of state in the prime minister’s office.

A visibly disturbed Chavan is later believed to have instructed the district administration to make all efforts to save Sabane’s life.

Incidentally, last week the VJAS wrote to the State Election Chief Neela Satyanarayan, requesting her to relax the ongoing election code of conduct enforced for the ensuing civic body polls, to enable the state government announce a relief package for the debt-ridden farming community of the state.

VJAS flays Centre ‘NO’ to Maharashtra plea to hike cotton MSP

2011-12-03T06:05:00.001-08:00

VJAS flays Centre ‘NO’ to Maharashtra plea to hike cotton MSP

Nagpur 3^rd December 2011

VJAS has severely flays the mdia reports that the state government’s plea to seek a financial package from the Centre to enable it to give higher support price for cotton cultivating farmers has been turned down by Govt. of India .it is reported byhighly placed sources in Mantralaya told, “ A senior officer who had pursued the issue with Centre was informed that the state happens to be the only one seeking higher cotton price and other eight states cultivating cotton are unwilling for higher rates to the farmers, thus defeating Maharashtra case at the Centre. The Maharashtra Government has demanded that the MSP be increased to Rs 4,285 a quintal.

“This is misleading with raw cotton (kapas) prices dropping to the level of Rs 4,000 a quintal, the Centre is coming under great pressure to try and stop the rates from falling further.more importantly, at least four States, three of them ruled by the Congress, are putting pressure on the Centre to raise the minimum support price (MSP) for cotton.Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh are urging the Centre to act on the cotton price front. These States are facing agitation by farmers who are feeling let down by the falling prices’’ Kishore tiwari of vidarbha janandolan samiti (VJAS) informed in press release today

“Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar is spreading such news as he earlier indicated recently that demand for higher cotton price has come only from Maharashtra and in case of Maharashtra alone, cotton is grown across 50 lakh hectares of land mainly in .earlier to this crop failure last year Cotton prices have crashed from a record Rs 7,000 a quintal in the last week of March when Gvot put ban on cotton export . A record crop projection of 356 lakh bales (of 170 kg each) for the current season that began in October has proved to be another dampener but all India report indicate huge crop failure and according to the Cotton Corporation of India, arrivals until last weekend were 43.10 lakh bales against 57.17 lakh bales during the same period a year ago. Daily arrivals are merely l lakh bales against 2 lakh bales, a year ago’ Tiwari added..

If centre is expecting Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, who has promised to provide “some” relief to the cotton growers will now have to make provisions from the state budget to keep his promise in the winter session that commences in Nagpur on December 12 then such relief will be hoax as state cant provide any relief without intervention of central Govt. as Agrarian crisis has already in all cotton belt of Maharashtra more than 5 million cotton farmers need bailout package, Tiwari said.

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VJAS plea to poll panel to relax code for Framer's relief-TIMES OF INDIA

2011-11-29T23:10:00.000-08:00

Printed from

VJAS plea to poll panel to relax code for Framer's relief

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/VJAS-plea-to-poll-panel-to-relax-code-for-relief/articleshow/10924387.cms

NAGPUR: Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti (VJAS), an advocacy group fighting for the cause of cotton growers of the region, has urged the state election commissioner Neela Satyanarayan to relax the code of conduct imposed for the municipal council elections so that the state government could announce a relief package for farmers.

Last week chief minister Prithviraj Chavan had put on hold decision to announce a compensation package for cotton growers citing the state election commission directives. Chavan, while stressing that he was sympathetic to the plight of the cotton growers who have suffered heavy crop losses in several pockets of Vidarbha, Marathwada expressed helplessness as the election commission had not allowed any policy announcement because of the code that was in force for the December 8 elections to 196 municipal councils in the state.

VJAS president Kishore Tiwari in a petition filed before the state election body has requested Satyanarayan to relax the model code and allow the state to extend relief to the cotton growers who were in serious state of distress because of crop losses. The VJAS has requested Chavan to pay compensation of Rs20,000 per hectare as difference in current purchase price and the actual cost of cotton cultivation.

Pointing out that over a 1000 farmers have already committed suicide in the current year in the cotton belt, Tiwari has urged the poll panel chief that reports were submitted with the government from time to time warning of the impending crisis.

Tiwari has said in the plea that cotton procurement prices have not been revised substantially in last three years though input costs, including prices of seeds, fertilizers, labour costs had increased by about 40%. Several committees including the Narendra Jadhav committee had recommended urgent relief for dry land cotton farmers of the state but the government had failed to act on the reports. "After our meeting with the CM recently, the government had formulated a compensation package, But it was put on hold because of the model code of conduct," Tiwari said in the petition.

He has made a forceful plea to the panel to relax the code as a special case so that the government could announce succour to the distressed cotton growers on the lines of those offered to sugarcane growers of western Maharashtra. A relief package would go a long way in checking the unending suicides by farmers.

Vidarbha Agrarian Crisis is due to Govt.apathy -PTI

2011-11-29T04:26:00.000-08:00

Food security, interest-free loans, income support demanded for vidarbha farmers

PTI | 11:11 AM,Nov 29,2011

http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/food-security-interesfree-loans-income-support-demanded-for/918264.html
http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/after-reports-from-more-than-10-committees-on-facts-and/918263.html

Vidarbha farmers Nagpur, Nov 29 (PTI) The Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti (VJAS) which has been working for distressed peasants in the suicide prone Vidarbha region, has demanded free healthcare, secondary income support and interest-free crop loan for dryland farmers. "VJAS has urged Maharashtra New Chief Minister Prhitiviraj Chavan to address the long pending demands of Vidarbha farmers. The most important issue of cotton growers which needs to be attended is compensation for wet drought and crop failure due to record rain and revision in cotton minimum support prices, which has remained unchanged since 2008 even when cost of cultivation has tripled in last two years," its president Kishore Tiwari said. Irrigation facilities in these areas would not cross 20 per cent of total agriculture land.
Hence there is an urgent need to make water conservation a mass movement. Approach of water conservation at village level would be the most effective solution, Tiwari told PTI. The NGO has been monitoring the farmer suicides in Vidarbha and has been on the forefront placing their demands before the government. The VJAS has demanded re-structure of loan for 2011-12, since DCC banks can not raise more than 1250 crore. An additional Rs 1500 crore needs to be provided for disbursement of crop loan. Also, de-silting of Malgujari (local private tanks) and minor storage tanks should to be undertaken by using special time bound programme to stop suicidal tendencies of farmers in the region, it said. Tiwari alleged that the Maharashtra government in December 2008 had decided to implement the recommendations of a high-power committee headed by Vice-Chancellor of Pune University, Dr Narendra Jadhav and had promised to provide food, health care and free education to children of 4.34 lakh farmers in distress from the suicide-prone districts of Amravati, Akola, Yavatmal, Buldhana, Washim and Wardha remedies on the farmers' plight, instead of providing relief to dying farmers, the then Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh had in November 2007 set up a one-member panel headed by Jadhav to suggest ways to arrest farmers' suicides in the Vidarbha region when it was quite aware of the gravity of the issue of grave situation of farmers in the cotton growing belt of Vidarbha, he said. VJAS pointed out that in majority of farmer suicide cases, it has come to light that there was no food or medicine available to them which led to the extreme step. Tiwari said the Jadhav Committee has accepted the suggestions given by the VJAS and recommended that all the nationalised banks be strictly advised or directed to review the scale of finance and accordingly have extra sufficent staff for documentation for reviewing and revising the scale of finance/ credit facilities to farmers as per their eligibility.

Govt. is misleading the Nation on Farmer suicides: VJAS

2011-11-28T23:22:00.001-08:00

Govt. is misleading the Nation on Farmer suicides: VJAS

NAGPUR: November 30^th 2011

The claim of Indian Govt. that farmers Suicide by farmers have dropped drastically in the current year due to government initiatives is misleading as country is under severe agrarian crisis due to crop failure in major state suicide prone states Maharashtra,Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka as there is severe cotton ,soybean and paddy crop failure reported and farm suicide spiral has restarted and ground situation very grim as debt and distress are forcing innocent farmers kill themselves, ,Kishor Tiwari of Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti informed in press note today.

“We have been documenting farmers suicides reported in vidarbha since 1997 and The National Crime Records Bureau –NCRB officially published actual figures of farmers suicides and we have noted that NCRB figure is three times our recorded figure but Minister of State for Agriculture Harish Rawat said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha has completely contradicted NCRB own record of farmers suicides and mislead nation this is very rubbish and unfortunate’ Tiwari added..

Here is official link of NCRB which gives official figure

http://www.thehindu.com/multimedia/archive/00820/Farm_Suicides__All__820598a.pdf

STATE	2010	2004
MAHARASHTRA	NCRB figure is 3141 Agri.Mimistry fig. 454	NCRB figure is 4147 Agri.Mimistry fig. 347
ANDHRA PRADESH	NCRB figure is 2525 Agri.Mimistry fig. 152	NCRB figure is 2666 Agri.Mimistry fig.1181
KARNATAKA	NCRB figure is 2585 Agri.Mimistry fig.138	NCRB figure is 1963 Agri.Mimistry fig. 114

It's official. The country has seen over a quarter of a million farmers’ suicides between 1995 and 2010. The National Crime Records Bureau’s latest report on ‘Accidental Deaths & Suicides in India’ places the number for 2010 at 15,964 even after Govt. informs Indian parliament that in India during 2010, 657 farmers had taken their lives on this count, while in 2004 the toll was as high as .Agrarian at it’s peak and NCRB exposes that brings the cumulative 16-year total from 1995 — when the NCRB started recording farm suicide data — to 2,56,913, the worst-ever recorded wave of suicides of this kind in human history.,

As Andhra Pradesh Govt. is also misleading when they report that 42 farmers’ suicide in 2011 in comparison to 1,181 in 2004 and 152 in 2010,in fact In Andhra Pradesh, 95 farmers committed suicides in just six districts in one month during Oct – Nov 2011, as per compilation of news reports by Alliance for Sustainable and Holistic Agriculture (ASHA). ASHA conducted fact-finding visits to 20 families and found that all of them were due to agricultural reasons. “It is highly objectionable that the Government classifies suicides as ‘genuine’ and ‘not genuine’! In 2010, while Crime Records Bureau shows 2525 suicides of farmers, the AP Government has classified only 158 as “genuine”! When it comes to implementing the relief package meant for families of suicides victims, the Government machinery is geared towards ignoring or not supporting the families with designated ex-gratia, under political compulsions , Kiran Vissa of Association for India’s Development added from Hyderabad (Kiran Vissa, AID: 09701705743)

“Farm suicide is only figure that indicates serious agrarian crisis needs long term solution as it is apparent that the existing model of agriculture cannot continue. The current high-external-input model of farming has been one of the root causes for the increasing burden on farmers, given its unviable economics with spiraling costs, unmatched by adequate returns. This model of farming has also resulted in erosion and degradation of the natural resource base on which production has to rest for all time to come! The Government has to promote sustainable agriculture that will reduce costs of cultivation for farmers and reduce risks through diversity-based, agro-ecological approaches. A programmatic thrust along with appropriate and adequate support systems is required to spread sustainable agriculture like the CMSA programme in Andhra Pradesh is required immediately. In this context, the importance of grassroots farmers’ institutions, to make farming a collective enterprise in many ways, cannot be over-emphasized”, Kavitha Kuruganti, Alliance for Sustainable & Holistic Agriculture (ASHA) informed from Bangalore .

Cotton farmers protest against proposed bailout package-IANS Reports

2011-11-23T10:11:00.000-08:00

Cotton farmers protest against proposed bailout package

Wed Nov 23 2011 19:59:10 GMT+0530 (India Standard Time) by IANS

Nagpur, Nov 23 (IANS) Terming as peanuts the proposed bailout package for cotton farmers in Maharashtra’s Vidarbha region, over 2,000 farmers blocked a state highway Wednesday as part of a seven-day-old agitation.

The Chandrapur-Yavatmal highway was blocked by protesters near Rampur village, 120 km from here.

The agitating farmers demanded Rs.6,000 per quintal as the minimum support price for raw cotton as against the market price of Rs.4,000 per quintal.

“This is the seventh day in a row that farmers are protesting at several places across Vidarbha. The demand is being supported by all the political parties, including the ruling Congress and the NCP (Nationalist Congress Party), but the state government is unmoved,” said Kishor Tiwari of Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti, a farmers’ advocacy group.

Tiwari met Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan Sunday to apprise him of the hardships faced by farmers in Vidarbha due to crop damage.

“I have suggested that a subsidy of Rs.20,000 per hectare for cotton and Rs.15,000 per hectare for soya be paid to farmers to compensate for the 40 percent loss of crop this year,” Tiwari said.

“But I am sceptical about any package. I am told the bureaucrats are asking the chief minister to announce a paltry relief. This will be too little, too late and only fuel the farmer suicide crisis in Vidarbha,” he warned.

Hundreds of Vidarbha farm widows are likely to start a hunger strike Thursday.

An all-party meeting convened by Chavan on the issue remained inconclusive. Chavan also met representatives of farmer organisations and assured them of appropriate steps.

The Congress has sought a separate financial package for the farmers while pursuing the demand for an increase in the minimum support price for cotton with the central government.

Farmers stir in Vidarbha turns violent-Hindustan Times

2011-11-16T08:40:00.000-08:00

Pradip Kumar Maitra, Hindustan Times

Email Author

Nagpur, November 16, 2011

First Published: 18:44 IST(16/11/2011)

Last Updated: 18:45 IST(16/11/2011)

Farmers stir in Vidarbha turns violent

Farmers and farmer leaders have intensified the agitation on Wednesday for seeking Rs 6,000 per quintal as minimum guarantee price for raw cotton in all over Vidarbha region. The agitating farmers resorted to blocking roads and raising voice against -- to what they term as the government’s apathy to agrarian crisis.

According to reports, violence continued in Amravati on the issue for the third day after Shiv Sena activists, led by the former Lok Sabha member, Anant Gudhe, damaged the state cotton cooperative marketing federation office at Rampuri camp area and set afire all the furniture of the office in protest against the meager rate of Rs 3,300 per quintal, announced by the government.

The agitated Sena activists also set afire two vehicles of state health department and set ablaze a state run bus near Badnera this morning. The district police arrested 20 Sena workers, including Gudhe and the district chief, Balasaheb Bhagwat in this connection.

On the other hand, the Independent legislator, Ravi Rana’s indefinite hunger strike entered third day on Wednesday. Rana was detained by the police on Monday and now in central jail at Amravati. Several farmers and leaders of different organizations who turned up at the jail to meet Rana on Wednesday were denied permission to meet him by the jail authorities.

Among the activists who were denied to meet Rana at the central jail include: Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti convenor Kishore Tiwari and former Maharashtra minister Sunil Deshmukh. Rana has staged an indefinite hunger strike from behind the bars for the cause of cotton farmers.

Rana’s Yuva Swabhimani Sanghatana, Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti and several other organizations also blocked roads and damaged public property at many places in Vidarbha in protest against the jail authorities “undemocratic” attitude.

The vehicular traffic on Mumbai-Kolkata National Highway 6 was paralysed at Tiwasa in Amravati when the farmers resorted to a "rasta roko" agitation on Wednesday afternoon in support of fair price of raw cotton.

The agitators even took out a huge farmers’ rally on the highway on the issue which was addressed by Tiwari and other farmers’ leaders. The farmers vowed not to sell raw cotton until the government hikes the guarantee price.

According to reports reaching here this evening, farmers have resorted to “rasta roko” agitations in several areas in the region, including Yavatmal, Wardha, Buldhana, Akola, Washim and Saoner (Nagpur).

“The agitation was peaceful in Nagpur rural areas,” said Manoj Shukla, the superintendent of police (SP), Nagpur rural.

Meanwhile, another farmer Umesh Shyamrao Bhoyar (32) of Amla village in Wardha district ended his life by swallowing pesticide due to crop failure and not getting fair price for raw cotton. Around 16-acre land-holder Bhoyar borrowed Rs one-lakh from the District Central Cooperative Bank and could not repay it because of crop failure. A frustrated Bhoyar consumed pesticide this morning and ended his life.

With Bhoyar’s death, the farmers’ death toll has risen to 22 this month while the figure is 672 since January this year.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/770080.aspx

शेतकर्‍यांच्या मागण्यांसाठी १२ डिसेंबरला विधान भवनावर मोर्चा

2011-11-15T11:06:00.000-08:00

शेतकर्‍यांच्या मागण्यांसाठी १२ डिसेंबरला विधान भवनावर मोर्चा

स्रोत: तरुण भारत तारीख: 11/15/2011 11:32:00 PM

कापूस आणि धान उत्पादक

नागपुरातील सर्वपक्षीय बैठकीत निर्णय

विशेष प्रतिनिधी

नागपूर, १५ नोव्हेंबर

कापूस आणि धान उत्पादक शेतकर्‍यांच्या मागण्यांसाठी विधिमंडळ अधिवेशनाच्या पहिल्या दिवशी म्हणजे १२ डिसेंबरला विधान भवनावर भव्य मोर्चा काढण्याचा निर्णय आज नागपुरात झालेल्या सर्वपक्षीय बैठकीत घेण्यात आला.

सरकारने शेतकर्‍यांच्या मागण्या मान्य केल्या नाही तर बेमुदत उपोषण करण्याचा इशाराही या बैठकीतून देण्यात आला.

आकाशवाणी चौकातील सरपंच भवनात माजी मंत्री आणि माजी प्रदेश कॉंग्रेस अध्यक्ष रणजित देशमुख यांच्या अध्यक्षतेखाली झालेल्या या बैठकीला शिवसेनेचे आ. आशीष जैस्वाल, राष्ट्रवादी कॉंग्रेसचे प्रदेश सरचिटणीस गंपू घाटोळे, बाबुराव तिडके, बाबुराव झाडे, किशोर तिवारी, माजी आमदार सेवक वाघाये, देवराव भांडे, हुकुमचंद आमधरे, चंद्रपाल चौकसे, हर्षवर्धन निकोसे, रामराव वानखेडे, अरविंद बोंद्रे यांच्यासह अनेक कार्यकर्ते उपस्थित होते.

विदर्भातील कापूस आणि धान उत्पादक शेतकर्‍यांच्या स्थितीवर या बैठकीत चर्चा करताना वक्त्यांनी सरकारच्या शेतकरीविरोधी भूमिकेवर जोरदार हल्ला चढवला. आंदोलन केल्याशिवाय सरकार शेतकर्‍यांना काही देत नाही, याचा उल्लेख करत आंदोलनाच्या कार्यक्रमाची घोषणाही यावेळी करण्यात आली.

कापसाला प्रति क्विंटल ७५०० रु., धानाला २५०० रु. आणि सोयाबीनला ३६०० रु. आधारभूत भाव देण्याची मागणी करणारा ठराव बैठकीत एकमताने पारित करण्यात आला.

कापूस व धान खरेदी केंद्रे येत्या आठ दिवसात सर्व ठिकाणी सुरू करण्याची मागणी यावेळी करण्यात आली. शेतकर्‍यांना पूर्ण दाबाने वीज मिळाली नाही तर महावितरणच्या कार्यालयावर मोर्चा काढण्याचा इशारा ही यावेळी देण्यात आला.

या मागण्यांसाठी संपूर्ण विदर्भात आंदोलन करण्याचा निर्णय या बैठकीत घेण्यात आला. त्यानुसार २१ नोव्हेंबरला विदर्भातील सर्व तालुकास्थानी धरणे आंदोलन केले जाणार आहे. २८ नोव्हेंबरला तहसील कार्यालयावर तर ५ डिसेंबरला सर्व जिल्हास्थानी जिल्हाधिकारी कार्यालयावर मोर्चा काढण्यात येईल, असे रणजित देशमुख यांनी बैठकीनंतर पत्रकारांशी बोलताना सांगितले.

१२ डिसेंबरला हिवाळी अधिवेशनाच्या पहिल्या दिवशी संपूर्ण विदर्भातील शेतकर्‍यांचा विधान भवनावर मोर्चा काढण्यात येणार आहे. हा मोर्चा सर्वपक्षीय राहणार आहे, सर्व राजकीय पक्षांनी या मोर्चात सहभागी व्हावे या दृष्टीने आमचे प्रयत्न सुरू असल्याचे देशमुख यांनी सांगितले.

कॉंग्रेस नेतेही आजच्या बैठकीत सहभागी होणार होते, मात्र प्रदेश कॉंग्रेस अध्यक्ष माणिकराव ठाकरे यांनी मुंबईत तातडीची बैठक बोलवल्यामुळे कॉंग्रेसच्या नेत्यांना त्या बैठकीला जावे लागले, त्यामुळे ते या बैठकीला उपस्थित राहू शकले नाही, असे देशमुख यांनी स्पष्ट केले.

भारनियमनामुळे शेतकर्‍यांचे अतिशय नुकसान होत आहे. त्यामुळे कोणत्याही स्थितीत शेतकर्‍यांसाठी दिवसा ४ तास आणि रात्री चार तास या प्रमाणे आठ तास वीजपुरवठा करण्यात यावा, जेणेकरून शेतातील पिकाला पाणी देता येईल, अशी मागणी देशमुख यांनी केली.

किशोर तिवारी

यंदा विदर्भातील खरीपाच्या सर्वच पिकांची स्थिती अतिशय ़खराब आहे. सर्व पिके मिळून १० हजार कोटी रु. चे नुकसान झाले आहे, असे विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समितीचे किशोर तिवारी यांनी सांगितले.

यंदा थंडी लांबल्यामुळे रब्बीच्या पिकांनाही त्याचा फटका बसला आहे, याकडे लक्ष वेधत कोणत्याही पक्षाने शेतकर्‍यांच्या प्रश्‍नाचे राजकारण क़रू नये, असे आवाहन तिवारी यांनी केले.

या बैठकीला बशीर पटेल (भंडारा), कोमलचंद्र राऊत, सुरेश पर्बत, सुरेश बांद्रे, दिनकरराव राऊत, दिलीप हिवरकर, प्रभाकर शास्त्री, दिनानाथ राऊत, रूपराव राऊत, शिशुपाल यादव, वीरेंद्र गजभिये, अरविंद बावनकर, रमेश चरपे, पुरुषोत्तम शहाणे व रमेश देऊळकर उपस्थित होते.

VJAS flays Psychological Aid to stop Vidarbha Farmer’s Suicides

2011-11-14T00:56:00.001-08:00

VJAS flays Psychological Aid to stop Vidarbha Farmer’s Suicides

NAGPUR-Monday , November 14, 2011:

Vidarbha Jan Andolan samiti has strongly flayed Maharashtra move to seek Psychological help from one Goa base NGO been hand-picked by Dorabjee Tata Trust to divert economic issues behind vidarbha agrarian crisis forcing cotton farmers to commit suicide due the wrong policies promoted state ,kishor tiwari farm activist of VJAS informed today .it is reported that in a bid to extricate debt-ridden farmers in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, an NGO has been hand-picked by Dorabjee Tata Trust for the ambitious project will work to bail out 3 million cotton framers who are in deep distress analyzing the families of the victim farmers, their body language, psychological behaviour and other aspects to provide solutions reach to these farmers in a scientific manner and address their Psychological issues and render moral support in the three sector including common mental health disorder, alcohol use disorder and child and adolescent emotional problem, The NGO informed and

I QUOTE

NGO comes to aid of Vidarbha farmers

http://zeenews.india.com/news/maharashtra/ngo-comes-to-aid-of-vidarbha-farmers_741708.html.

PTI

Panaji: In a bid to extricate debt-ridden farmers in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, an NGO has come forward to bail them out of the agrarian crisis, a senior functionary has said.

The NGO, Sangath, operating from outside of Goa, has been hand-picked by Dorabjee Tata Trust for the ambitious project aiming to mitigate instances of suicides among Vidarbha peasants.

Sangath chairman Vishram Gupte said the pre-launch meeting for the project would be held in Nagpur in Maharashtra on November 30 to discuss about the implementation of the project.

According to the National Crime Records Bureau's statistics about 30,000 farmers have committed suicide in the last one decade. Gupte said lack of irrigation facilities, infertility of land and state government's failure are the reasons for aggravating crisis in the region. The NGO with professionals on board has decided to reach to these farmers in a scientific manner and address their basic issues and render moral support.

The four-year-long project will cover four districts from Vidarbha and eight blocks, Gupte said, adding Sangath is readying to set up its camp office in Nagpur.

Sangath officials said the experts would analyse the families of the victim farmers, their body language, psychological behaviour and other aspects.

"We will develop the intervention in three sectors, including common mental health disorder, alcohol use disorder and child and adolescent emotional problem," an expert associated with the project said.

UNQUOTE

‘This is brain child of Maharashtra Govt. to divert the attention of civil society and nation from basic issues involved in to mass genocide of farmers in India as last decade quarter million farmers mostly dry land farmers cultivating high risk highly price volatile crop like cotton are killing themselves because of free trade and wrong economic policies promoted by Indian Govt. as earlier too when vidarbha farmers issue Govt. called Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s Art of Living Foundation ,Bhyuji Maharaj of indore and Ammaji from south and spent thousands of crore on physiological treatment economical ill debt ridden farmers but stopped it having got criticism from media and civil society now as once again administration is under severe fire as Maharashtra has reported maximum 3320 farm suicide in 2010 and daily 3 farmers killing in vidarbha they have smartly asked Dorabjee Tata Trust to do exercise which another hoax’ Tiwari added.

As the situation of cotton growers in west Vidarbha has worsened with the wrong policies of the state and particularly ban of cotton export time to time. The Bt cotton seeds promoted by the state have increased the economic pressure on farmers instead of resulting in higher yields of disease free crops. Already a low return and high risk livelihood, these policies that claim to reduce the risk have only increased the cost of farming. As a result, the cotton economy of the region has collapsed, resulting in mass suicide since 2001, he pointed out that when the rate of cotton lint gets a rate of $5.346 per kg in USA (around Rs 8,906 per quintal), the farmers of Vidarbha was getting a meager rate of Rs 4,000 per quintal.

VJAS that has been documenting the farmers' suicide in the region, said that most of the cotton farmers were distressed because of meagre rate of raw cotton in the market this season.

"There is a need for state government's intervention in this regard. The government should provide at least Rs 6,000 per quintal. The Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan had promised that he would talk with the union government for better support price for the raw cotton. However, nothing has been done in this regard," Tiwari alleged.

Sugarcane lobby triumphs, cotton farmers limp-DNA

2011-11-12T19:39:00.000-08:00

Sugarcane lobby triumphs, cotton farmers limp

DNA / Yogesh Pawar / Sunday, November 13, 2011 8:00 IST

While the Maharashtra government must be relieved that Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana leader and Kolhapur MP Raju Shetty ended his five-day fast in Baramati on Saturday, after it agreed to a sugarcane procurement price hike, many wonder why the same state ignores the plight of its cotton farmers.

In the same duration that Shetty sat on a fast 22 debt-ridden, Vidarbha cotton farmers committed suicide. One of these, Rajendra Lahiti of Dhamangaon, Amravati, breathed his last after consuming pesticide at the same time that Shetty was ending his fast with sugarcane juice on Friday.

Shetty’s fast saw a prompt response by top leaders in the state. While the MNS and Sena supported Shetty, Union agriculture minister and NCP chief Sharad Pawar sent daughter Supriya Sule to soothe ruffled feathers while CM Prithiviraj Chavan himself kept a close on eye on negotiations with protestors.

Repeated attempts to get Maharashtra agriculture minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil to comment on the “double standards” for different farmers, drew a blank. When DNA spoke to Raju Shetty he said, “We want justice for all farmers. If someone raises the issue of cotton farmers we will support them.”

“If the government agrees procurement price should cover cost of production and give a bonus to farmers then this should apply to both sugar and cotton equally,” points out TISS agronomist, Dr Ram Kumar.

A thought echoed by Kishor Tiwari, of the Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti. He points out how, last year the government was giving Rs 2,500 per quintal when international prices hovered at Rs 7,000 a quintal. “This year the government declared it will buy for Rs 3,300 per quintal. Farmers feel they’d prefer suicide to selling at such low prices,” says the activist.

Demanding a minimum of Rs 6,000 per quintal he asks, “Which fool will sell at Rs 3,300 when production costs are near Rs 4,500 per quintal?” Not surprising then that the cotton market yards are idle across the region.

In fact many say, the government’s July 2006, Rs. 3,750-crore Vidarbha relief package was a mockery. “Since then no bonus has been given in the procurement prices. Cumulatively since, this itself works out Rs 12,000 crores plus,” Tiwari points out and adds, “Though cotton is the largest cash crop in the state and the crisis severe, while the sugar lobby ensures its vote bank is well taken care of, cotton farmers die.” Tiwari also charges sugar barons across the political spectrum of using sugarcane prices to make money. “These barons use their sugar factories like milch cows. They get government relief when they complain they are in the red due to high procurement prices,” he says. Dr Ramkumar also agrees, “The factories are in the red due to mismanagement, corruption and political interference. This shouldn’t be linked to what farmers are paid.” In contrast, cotton farmers are caught in a bind while agro MNCs with a nod from the government are laughing their way to the bank. Authorities first encouraged farmers to opt for genetically modified Bt cotton, promising a huge yield. Despite initial resistance, aggressive campaigning by brand ambassadors like Nana Patekar saw many convert hoping to make a killing.

"With our native species, even if flowering failed due to excessive rain in the first half of the season, we would still manage at least some yield since the plants flower again. Bt cotton only flowers once and any failure means re-sowing the expensive Rs1,200-a-packet seeds," says Ambadas Rathod a farmer from Kolejhair, Yavatmal who faced the runt of the heavy rains in October. The blitzkrieg on high yield hadn't informed farmers of how high the cost of fertiliser would be or how pesticide-intensive this species is. "At Rs1,000 a kilo, I spent nearly Rs10,000 on fertiliser alone, and a further Rs12,000 per litre on 6-litre pesticide. After all that money and my hard work was washed away I was left with no option but borrowing money from the local money lender to re-sow," says Rathod.

URL of the article: http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_sugarcane-lobby-triumphs-cotton-farmers-limp_1611695-all

पृथ्वीराज यांच्या एक वर्षाच्या कारकीर्दीत विदर्भात १०६५ शेतकर्‍यांच्या आत्महत्या

2011-11-12T00:24:00.000-08:00

पृथ्वीराज यांच्या एक वर्षाच्या कारकीर्दीत विदर्भात १०६५ शेतकर्‍यांच्या आत्महत्या

नागपूर, दि. ११ (प्रतिनिधी) - महाराष्ट्राचे मुख्यमंत्री पृथ्वीराज चव्हाण आपला १ वर्षाचा कार्यकाळ पूर्ण करण्याचा आनंद सोहळा आज साजरा करीत असतानाच पहिल्याच वर्षात विदर्भात १ हजार ६५ शेतकर्‍यांच्या आत्महत्या झाल्याचे सत्य सरकारी आकडेवारीवरून उघडकीस आले आहे. या आत्महत्या मुख्यमंत्र्यांच्या नाकर्तेपणामुळे घडल्या असून त्यांचा कारभार असाच चालला तर हजारो शेतकर्‍यांचे आत्महत्या येत्या वर्षात होण्याची भीती विदर्भ जन आंदोलन समितीचे नेते किशोर तिवारी यांनी व्यक्त केली आहे.
गेल्या वर्षी कापूस, धान, सोयाबीन उत्पादकांना सरकारने वार्‍यावर सोडल्यामुळे या आत्महत्या झाल्या असून याकरिता मुख्यमंत्री जबाबदार असल्याचा आरोप किशोर तिवारी यांनी केला आहे. गेल्या वर्षी विदर्भात २८ लाख हेक्टरमध्ये कापसाचे विक्रमी उत्पादन झाले. जगात कापसाची नापिकी झाल्यामुळे कापसाला ८ हजार रुपये प्रति क्विटंल भाव मिळाला होता. मात्र केंद्र सरकारने निर्यात बंदी केल्यामुळे विदर्भातील कापूस उत्पादक शेतकर्‍यांना अर्ध्या किमतीत कापूस विकावा लागला. मार्च महिन्यात तर कापसाचा भाव हमी भावापेक्षाही कमी झाल्यानंतर सरकारने पणन महासंघाला कापूस घेण्यास परवानगी दिली नाही. त्यामुळे शेतकर्‍याचे ४ हजार कोटींचे नुकसान झाले. याचा फटका विदर्भातील शेतकर्‍यांना बसला. त्यातूनच शेतकर्‍यांच्या आत्महत्या वाढल्या असा आरोपही त्यांनी केला आहे.
विदर्भाच्या ३० लाख शेतकर्‍यांवर अन्याय करीत असतानाच मुख्यमंत्र्यांनी ज्या १ हजार ६५ शेतकर्‍यांनी आत्महत्या केल्या आहे त्यांनाही मदत मिळणार नाही यासाठी सक्तीचे आदेश जिल्हाधिकार्‍यांना दिल्यामुळे संपूर्ण विदर्भात फक्त ४८ शेतकर्यांना सरकारने आर्थिक मदत दिली आहे असा आरोपही किशोर तिवारी यांनी केला. मुख्यमंत्र्यांच्या मंत्रीमंडळातील मंत्री कापसाला ६ हजार रुपये भाव द्यावा अशी मागणी करत असतानाच मुख्यमंत्र्यांनी कापसाचा हमी भाव वाढविला तर कापसाच्या गिरण्या बंद होतील असा युक्तीवाद केला. यामुळे शेतकरी संतप्त झाले आहेत. ५० गिरणी मालकांची दलाली करणार्‍या व ५० लाख कापूस उत्पादक शेतकर्‍यांच्या अन्नात विष कालविणार्‍या मुख्यमंत्र्यांची हकालपट्टी करण्याची मागणी किशोर तिवारी यांनी पत्रकाद्वारे केली आहे.
यवतमाळ १८८, अमरावती १५६, वाशिम १३२, अकोला १४७, बुलढाणा १४१, वर्धा १०२, नागपूर ५२, चंद्रपूर ४४, गोंदिया ३८, भंडारा ३६, गडचिरोली २८ गेल्या ११ महिने विदर्भात शेतकर्‍यांनी एकूण १०६५ आत्महत्या केल्या आहेत.

Record 1065 vidarbha farmers suicides reported in first year of Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan

2011-11-11T01:08:00.000-08:00

Record 1065 vidarbha farmers suicides reported in first year of Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan: Hostile administration is Killing Innocent Farmers

Nagpur -11th November , 2011

When chief minister Prithviraj Chavan is celebrating his first year of holding office more 1065 vidarbha farm widows and her family members are struggling to get food for survival, mass genocide of cotton farmers triggered during last year due to wrong policies of Govt. which imposed restriction cotton export on cotton farmers then allowing seed, fertilizer and pesticide companies to increase their price without giving any consideration to minimum support price to Maharashtra main cash crop cotton forcing debt ridden cotton farmers to commit suicide since e assume office at rate of three farmers a day this is record number of farm suicides for CM who is so called most efficient and worked on PM vidarbha farmers relief package as MOS in PMO but farmers despair and distress trigger due it’s indecision attitude to handle crisis ,Kishor Tiwari of Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti informed in press note today.

‘‘Massive corruption from top to bottom and very hostile and failure of administration is killing innocent cotton farmers ,we have been demanding central Govt.intervention but noby is listing us our plea” tiwari urged. ASS

Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti has urged UPA convener Smt. Sonia Gandhiji to chage Maharashtra worst performing Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan as he is failed to protect cotton farmers of region having has ignored main demands of hike in Minimum Support Price-MSP of cotton, soybean and paddy and failed to resolve the issues of the procurement centers along with serious issue of power cut in rural vidarbha which is more than 18 hours and due to load-shedding, 50% cotton and paddy production of the region has suffered hence it was expected ,president Kishor Tiwari informed today.

“The recent announcement of Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan yesterday that hiking the of Minimum Support Price-MSP of cotton will hit textile industry and lead to closing of mills has shocked the five million cotton farmers of Maharashtra as this is against the pending demand of congress and NCP party and It was expected that congress leaders of region will take up this serious issue of agrarian crisis with Maharashtra CM but nobody pushed the main demands and all were busy in welcoming him moreover. As Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan has given hostile administration to state and administrative corruption is at peaks there is no coordination of ministers with chief minister resulting complete failure of state coalition Govt. hence we are demanding his removal to save dying cotton farmers of Maharashtra” Tiwari said.

Bt cotton seeds promoted by the state have increased the economic pressure on farmers instead of resulting in higher yields of disease free crops. Already a low return and high risk livelihood, these policies that claim to reduce the risk have only increased the cost of farming. As a result, the cotton economy of the region has collapsed, resulting in mass suicide since 2001, he pointed out that when the rate of cotton lint gets a rate of $5.346 per kg in USA (around Rs 8,906 per quintal), the farmers of Vidarbha was getting a meager rate of Rs 4,000 per quintal.

VJAS that has been documenting the farmers' suicide in the region, said that most of the cotton farmers were distressed because of meagre rate of raw cotton in the market this season.

"There is a need for state government's intervention in this regard. The government should provide at least Rs 6,000 per quintal. The chief minister Prithviraj Chavan had promised that he would talk with the union government for better support price for the raw cotton.However, nothing has been done in this regard,"Tiwari alleged.

Looking at prevailing situation internationally wheren cotton prices are likely to soar to Rs 7,000 a quintal this year too riding on the global scarcity on account of poor crops in the US, China and Pakistan, Indian cotton farmers can hedge these prices only if central Govt. manages to raise the minimum support price to Rs 6,000 level but The government has not responded favorably disappointing cotton farmer hence we urge for urgent intervention to save dying cotton farmers, Tiwari said.

"As the reports from allover the are showing world shortage of cotton production , the Indian farmer gets advantage this time as cotton is now placed under open general license (OGL) for exports. But the OGL status should be continued. Last year, the Centre put unnecessary restrictions on exports denying farmers an opportunity to make it big. In the process they lost a market worth Rs 30,000 crore," said Tiwari. Tiwari continued, "The government did not concede our demand of providing food security to desperate, distressed and marginal farmers even. The government needs to behave sensibly and responsibly to address farmers' woes and prevent the prevailing spate of suicide in the killing fields of Vidarbha." If the cotton growers do not get better price this season, the situation will assume drastic proportions, he cautioned.

VJAS has urged Govt. of India to send team of expert to assess the Bt. Cotton crop damage in maharashtra and west vidarbha in particular where cotton farmers are killing themselves .VJAS has been demanding hike in cotton MSP Rs.6000/- per quintal and relief package to dying cotton farmers of region, Tiwari added.

“At the national level Maharashtra is main state which is cultivating Bt.cotton in around 52 lakh hector which is around 40% of Indian cotton cultivation moreover agrarian economy of Maharashtra is completely based on cotton production and prices hence we demand urgent intervention from Govt.” Tiwari added.

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17 farmers commit suicides in five days-TIMES OF INDIA

2011-11-08T22:06:00.000-08:00

17 farmers commit suicides in five days

TNN | Nov 9, 2011, 04.36AM IST

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/17-farmers-commit-suicides-in-five-days/articleshow/10661597.cms?prtpage=1

NAGPUR: With seven farmers in Vidarbha committing suicide in last two days, the crisis which had seen a lull in last few months has resurfaced. According to Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti, which spearheads cotton growers' cause in the region and also keeps a tab on suicide committed by ryots, the farm suicide toll has reached an alarming 17 in last five days and 671 in the current year.

The farmers who took the desperate route in the last three days have been identified as Maroti Mate of Palasgoan and Jivan Raghtate of Rehaki village ( both from Wardha), Kachruba Meran of Balsamudra and Mahadev Pasode of Vadati in Buldhana, Kailas Solanki of Karanjkhed and Kisan Mahurle of Sonbardi in Yavatmal and Ratan Nagtode of Udapur in Chandrapur district. The other 10 victims in last five days have been identified as Parshuram Jambhulkar, Sukkhdev Pawar, Ashok Chintelwar and Ramesh Tekam of Yavatmal district, Gajanan Sawant, Ananta Bhilange and Vithoba Munde of Buldhana, Gajanan Kavate and Deorao Nimbolkar of Akola, Dadarao Nage of Amravati.

VJAS president Kishore Tiwari informed that when he visited Kisan Mohurale's house at village Sonbardi in Yavatmal, his paralytic father and widow said the deceased farmer was under huge stress due to mounting debt, cotton crop failure and increasing medical expenses of his family. Most of Sonbardi farmers complained of heavy crop loss and that no one from the district administration had visited to asses the crop damage.

Situation of cotton growers in Western Vidarbha has worsened as the Bt cotton seeds promoted by the state have increased the economic pressure on farmers instead of resulting in higher yields of disease-free crop. Tiwari alleged. He demanded that the government should hike the minimum support price to Rs 6000 a quintal from the present Rs 3300 to save the farmers.

Seven vidarbha farmers’ suicides in 48 hours taking toll 671 in 2011

2011-11-08T02:31:00.000-08:00

Seven vidarbha farmers’ suicides in 48 hours taking toll 671 in 2011

Nagpur -8th November , 2011

The farm suicide spiral in agrarian crisis hit vidarbha has been restarted with seven more suicides in last 48 hours taking toll to 17 in last five days and 671 in year 2011 , recent victims identified as

1.Maroti Mate of Palasgoan in Wardha

2.Kachruba Meran of Balsamudra in Buldhana

3.Mahadev Pasode of Vadati in Buldhana

4.Kailas Solanki of Karanjkhed in Yavatmal

5.Kisan Mahurle of Sonbardi in Yavatmal

6.Jevan Raghatate of Rehaki in Wardha

7.Ratan Nagtode of Udapur i

n Chandrapur

Kishor Tiwari, president of Nagpur-based Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti, (VJAS), activist group working for cotton farmer rights informed in a Press release today.

Earlier in last four day VJAS documented 10 more farmers suicides

8.Parshuram Jabhulkar of Pandharkawada(Pisgoan) in Yavatmal

9.Gajanan Sawant of Pangara Pole in Buldhana

10.Anata Bhilange of Nivana in Buldhana

11.Vithoba Munde of Sonasi in Buldhana

12.Gajanan Kavate of Palodi in Akola

13.Devrao Nimbolkar in asola in Akola

14.Sukhadev Pawar of amadi in Yavatmal

15.Ashok Chintelwar of karegoan(bandal) in Yavatmal

16.Ramesh Tekam of M

angarda in Yavatmal

17.Dadarao Nage of Lohgoan in Amaravati

Today VJAS leader visited house of Kisan Mohurale of village Sonbardi in Yavatmal district and consoled his paralytic father and widow who ahs informed the activist that he was under pressure due to mounting debt ,cotton crop failure and increasing health expenses of his family .villagers of Sonbardi complained that most of cotton field standing crop has been damaged and all cotton growers are in deep

distress but n

o one from administratio

n has till visited to asses the crop damage more over local patwari has informed that this block has bumper cotton crop this year ,Manohar kale tols during the discussion .

Situation of cotton growers in west Vidarbha has worsened with the wrong policies of the state and particularly ban of cotton exp

ort time to time. T

he Bt cotton seeds promoted by the state have increased the economic pressure on farmers instead of resulting in higher yields of disease free crops. Already a low return and high risk livelihood, these policies that claim to reduce the risk have only increased the cost of farming. As a result, the cotton economy of the region has collapsed, resulting in mass suicide since 2001, he pointed out that when the rate of cotton lint gets a rate of $5.346 per kg in USA (around Rs 8,906 per quintal), the farmers of Vidarbha was getting a meager rate of Rs 4,000 per quintal.

VJAS that has been documenting the farmers' suicide in the region, said that most of the cotton farmers were distressed because of meagre rate of raw cotton in the market this season.

The minimum support price for the cotton was announced just Rs 3,300 per quintal when the rate was over Rs 6,000 last year, he pointed out.

Tiwari continued, "The government did not concede our demand of providing food security to desperate, distressed and marginal farmers even. The government needs to behave sensibly and responsibly to address farmers' woes and prevent the prevailing spate of suicide in the killing fields of Vidarbha." If the cotton growers do not get better price this season, the situation will assume drastic proportions, he cautioned.

Nine more Vidarbha Cotton farmers suicides reported in 72 hours :Massive Bt,cotton crop failure in 20 lakhs hector of vidarbha

2011-11-04T00:22:00.000-07:00

Nine more Vidarbha Cotton farmers suicides reported in 72 hours :Massive Bt,cotton crop failure in 20 lakhs hector of vidarbha

Nagpur -4^th November 4, 2011

The ink of news that rocked on official national afrm suicide data of NCRB become official which has reported that the country has seen over a quarter of a million farmers’ suicides between 1995 and 2010. The National Crime Records Bureau’s latest report on ‘Accidental Deaths & Suicides in India’ places the number for 2010 at 15,964. That brings the cumulative 16-year total from 1995 — when the NCRB started recording farm suicide data — to 2,56,913, the worst-ever recorded wave of suicides of this kind in human history and Maharashtra posts a dismal picture with over 50,000 farmers killing themselves in the country's richest State in that period. It also remains the worst State for such deaths for a decade now.

Close to two-thirds of all farm suicides have occurred in five States: Maharashtra, Karnataka, A.P., Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

Nine more debt trapped cotton farmers suicides reported in last 72 hours from the dying field of west vidarbha taking toll to 662 in year 2011, ill feted farmers are

1.Gajanan Sawant of Pangara Pole in Buldhana

2.Anata Bhilange of Nivana in Buldhana

3.Vithoba Munde of Sonasi in Buldhana

4.Gajanan Kavate of Palodi in Akola

5.Devrao Nimbolkar in asola in Akola

6.Sukhadev Pawar of amadi in Yavatmal

7.Ashok Chintelwar of karegoan(bandal) in Yavatmal

8.Ramesh Tekam of Mangarda in Yavatmal

9.Dadarao Nage of Lohgoan in Amaravati

Kishor Tiwari, president of Nagpur-based Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti, (VJAS), activist group working for cotton farmer rights informed in a Press release today.

A progressive young farmer ended his life by climbing on an electric pole and touching a live wire at Pangra Dole village in Lonar taluka, Buldhana district, on Wednesday. Gajanan Sawant (28), a marginal farmer who owned two acres of land, died as soon as he came in contact with the live wire. He failed to bear the loan burden and took the extreme step. Ashok Chintelwar was facing crop failure after his bt.cotton lost in last week sun outrage Where as Ramesh Tekam debt trapped tribal farmers commuiiteed suicides after police tortured him in case of motor pump theft, Tiwari said.

Maharashtra's story is alarming. It saw 20,066 farmers kill themselves between 1995 and 2002. That stands dwarfed by the 30,415 farmers who took their lives in the next eight years. The latter period saw an annual average increase of nearly 1,155 such deaths in the State. local leading daily reported today that around 15 lakh Hector Bt.cotton crop has been lost in six district of west vidarbha where in maharashtra most of Bt.cotton crop has been damaged due to delayed rain and erratic weather condition .Mahrashtra is the state where Bt.cotton has crossed 50 lakhs hector this year out of which more than 35 lakhs hector is purely dry land area where rainy water is only source.

Initially Maharashtra Govt. expected yield of cotton was around 450 lakhs quintal that has been revised to 300 lakhs quintal but prevailing crop condition and severe damage to Bt. Cotton crop in region average yield likely to be dropped by 50% .on the expenses front cultivation cost has jumped to Rs.20,000/- per acre from Rs.12,000/-where average yield has come down 2 quintal per acre from 4 quintal per acre hence accumalted losees are likely to cross more than Rs.5000 crore in vidarbha alone and this is trigger of this restart of farm suicide spiral ,Tiwari addded.

VJAS has urged Govt. of India to send team of expert to assess the Bt. Cotton crop damage in maharashtra and west vidarbha in particular where cotton afrmers are killing themselves .VJAS has been demanding hike in cotton MSP Rs.6000/- per quintal and relief package to dying cotton farmers of region , Tiwari added.

===============================================================

गिरणीमालकांची दलाली करणार्‍या मुख्यमंत्र्यांची हकालपट्टी करा-विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समितीची मागणी

2011-11-01T11:36:00.000-07:00

गिरणीमालकांची दलाली करणार्‍या मुख्यमंत्र्यांची हकालपट्टी करा-विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समितीची मागणी
स्रोत: तरुण भारत तारीख: 11/1/2011

त. भा. वा.
यवतमाळ, १ नोव्हेंबर

राज्यातील ५० लाख कापूस उत्पादक शेतकरी कापसाच्या नापिकीमुळे प्रचंड आर्थिक अडचणीत आले असून आत्महत्येचा मार्ग स्वीकारत असताना त्यांना वाचविण्याऐवजी देशातील ५० कापड गिरणीमालकांची दलाली करणार्‍या मुख्यमंत्री पृथ्वीराज चव्हाण यांची तात्काळ हकालपट्टी करावी, अशी आग्रही मागणी विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समितीचे अध्यक्ष किशोर तिवारी यांनी केली आहे. मुख्यमंत्री पृथ्वीराज चव्हाण शेतकर्‍यांना न्याय देण्यास व विदर्भाचा विकास करण्यास अपयशी ठरले असून त्यांच्या कार्यकाळात नोकरशाही माजली आहे. सर्वत्र खुलेआम भ्रष्टाचार होत आहे. अशा परिस्थितीत महाराष्ट्रात विदर्भातील शेतकर्‍यांचे हित जोपासणारा मुख्यमंत्री केेंद्र सरकारने द्यावा, अशी मागणी विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समितीने केली आहे.

महाराष्ट्राचे मुख्यमंत्री पृथ्वीराज चव्हाण यांनी नागपुरात येऊन, कापसाचा हमीभाव वाढवणे म्हणजे कापसाच्या गिरण्या बंद करणे होय, असे स्पष्ट विधान करून हमीभाव वाढविण्यासाठी आपला स्पष्ट विरोध असल्याचे सूतोवाच केले. एकीकडे कॉंग्रेसचे प्रदेशाध्यक्ष माणिकराव ठाकरे कापसाला ५ हजार रुपये हमीभाव मिळावा, अशी मागणी करतात, पणन महासंघाचे अध्यक्ष डॉ. एन. पी. हिराणी कापसासाठी ६ हजार रुपये प्रतीक्विंटल या दराची अपेक्षा करतात. त्यासाठी केंद्राला अधिकृत पत्रही लिहितात, याकडे त्यांनी लक्ष वेधले आहे. या चढाओढीमध्ये आपण मागे राहणार, या भीतीपोटी सामाजिक न्यायमंत्री शिवाजीराव मोघे व यवतमाळचे आमदार नीलेश पारवेकर कापसाला ७ हजार रुपये प्रतिक्विंटलची मागणी करतात. त्यासाठी चक्क सोनिया गांधींच्या दरबारात हजेरी लावतात. मात्र, हेच नेते नागपुरात येऊन कापसाचा हमीभाव वाढविणे म्हणजे गिरण्या बंद करणे होय, असे स्पष्ट विधान करून शेतकर्‍यांच्या जखमेवर मीठ चोळण्याचे काम करतात, असा आरोप किशोर तिवारी यांनी केला आहे.

२०१० मध्ये महाराष्ट्र सरकार व भारत सरकारचे कृषीमंत्री शरद पवार यांनी फक्त ३६५ शेतकर्‍यांनी आत्महत्या केल्या असून फक्त ६५ शेतकरी कृषी कारणासाठी हे जग सोडून गेले, असा दावा केला होता. असे असतानाच सरकारच्या राष्ट्रीय गुन्हे सर्वेक्षण आयोगाने दिलेल्या माहितीनुसार पुन्हा एकदा महाराष्ट्रात सर्वांत जास्त शेतकर्‍यांच्या आत्महत्या झाल्या असून यामध्ये विदर्भ सर्वात आघाडीवर असल्याचे स्पष्ट केले आहे. या आठवड्यात केंद्र सरकारच्या गृह मंत्रालयाच्या एनसीआरबीने शेतकरी आत्महत्येचे आकडे प्रसारित केले असून मागील १६ वर्षांत भारतात २ लाख ५२ हजार शेतकर्‍यांनी आत्महत्या केल्याचे सिद्ध झाले असून त्यातही महाराष्ट्र राज्य आघाडीवर आहे. केंद्र सरकारच्या आकडेवारीनुसार २०१० मध्ये भारतात १५ हजार ९६४ शेतकर्‍यांच्या आत्महत्या झाल्या. त्यात सर्वांत जास्त ३,१४१ आत्महत्या महाराष्ट्रात झाल्याचे निष्पन्न झाले. हे सर्व शेतकरी कापूस उत्पादक असून सरकारच्या चुकीच्या धोरणामुळे आर्थिक संकटात सापडले आहेत आणि म्हणूनच ते आत्महत्येचा मार्ग स्वीकारीत आहेत, असेही किशोर तिवारी यांनी निदर्शनास आणून दिले आहे.

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In 16 years, farm suicides cross a quarter million-Maharashtra leads in statistic of shame

2011-10-29T02:23:00.000-07:00

Maharashtra leads in statistic of shame

Mumbai,October 29, 2011

In 16 years, farm suicides cross a quarter million-

P. Sainath

It's official. The country has seen over a quarter of a million farmers’ suicides between 1995 and 2010. The National Crime Records Bureau’s latest report on ‘Accidental Deaths & Suicides in India’ places the number for 2010 at 15,964. That brings the cumulative 16-year total from 1995 — when the NCRB started recording farm suicide data — to 2,56,913, the worst-ever recorded wave of suicides of this kind in human history.

Maharashtra posts a dismal picture with over 50,000 farmers killing themselves in the country's richest State in that period. It also remains the worst State for such deaths for a decade now. Close to two-thirds of all farm suicides have occurred in five States: Maharashtra, Karnataka, A.P., Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

The data show clearly that the last eight years were much worse than the preceding eight. As many as 1,35,756 farmers killed themselves in the 2003-10 period. For 1995-2002, the total was 1,21,157. On average, this means the number of farmers killing themselves each year between 2003 and 2010 is 1,825 higher than the numbers that took their lives in the earlier period. Which is alarming since the total number of farmers is declining significantly. Compared to the 1991 Census, the 2001 Census saw a drop of over seven million in the population of cultivators (main workers). The corresponding census data for 2011 are yet to come in, but their population has surely dipped further. In other words, farm suicides are rising through the period of India's agrarian crisis, even as the number of farmers is shrinking.

While the 2010 numbers show a dip of 1,404 from the 2009 figure of 17,368, there is little to cheer about. “There was a similar dip in 2008, only to be followed by the worst numbers in six years in 2009,” points out Professor K. Nagaraj, an economist at the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, who did the largest ever study of the farm suicides covering a decade (The Hindu, November 12-15, 2007). “This one-year decline does not in any way indicate we have turned the corner. This dip happened mostly because of one-off falls in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. In fact, a look at the ‘Big 5' who drive the numbers shows the fallout of the agrarian crisis to be as grim as ever. They have actually increased their share of the farm suicides.”

The five States with the largest share of the quarter-of-a-million farm suicides recorded in India over the past 16 years are Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

While the total number of farmers who took their own life in 2010 showed a dip from the preceding year, the share of the Big 5, in fact, rose to 66.49 per cent of all farm suicides in 2010. It was 62 per cent in 2009. Three of the Big 5 States have shown significant increases over 2009: Maharashtra (+269), Karnataka (+303), and Andhra Pradesh (+111). Nationally, the last eight years have seen on average, farmers killing themselves at a rate of one every 30 minutes.

In all, 14 of 28 States reported increases in 2010, while four have recorded declines of five or fewer suicides. The dip in 2010 comes with big falls in Chhattisgarh (-676), Tamil Nadu (-519) and Rajasthan (-461) and significant falls in Madhya Pradesh (-158), Puducherry (-150), and Uttar Pradesh (-108). West Bengal and Gujarat also report declines of 61 and 65. But the overall trend remains dismal.

In 1995, the first time the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) tabulated farm suicide data, the Big 5 accounted for 56.04 per cent of all farm suicides . In 2010, despite a one-year decline, they accounted for 66.49 per cent. Maharashtra's story is alarming. It saw 20,066 farmers kill themselves between 1995 and 2002. That stands dwarfed by the 30,415 farmers who took their lives in the next eight years. The latter period saw an annual average increase of nearly 1,155 such deaths in the State. This was also the period when money was poured into relief ‘packages' of the Prime Minister, the Chief Minister, through the loan waiver of 2008, and other measures.

During the very decade in which it reigned without break as the worst State to be a farmer in, Maharashtra rose to the first position among the big States in per capita income. Overall at Rs. 74,027, it is behind only much smaller States like Haryana and Goa. The Union Agriculture Minister is from this State and has held that post for six of those 10 years
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Suicides on the rise in Vidarbha-INDIA TODAY

2011-10-28T09:14:00.000-07:00

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India Today India Story

Suicides on the rise in Vidarbha, Rahul Gandhi's Kalavati remains symbol of deprivation

Damayanti Datta and Kiran Tare | Vidarbha, October 28, 2011 | 17:48

Chandrakala with daughters Sonali and Payal

The long, bumpy road to Jalka, 130 km from Nagpur, travels through miles of scorched cotton fields. In a tin-roofed hut, Kalawati Bandurkar, 55, sits surrounded by her six grandchildren. She tries to discipline them with an occasional shout, and then ruffles their hair in rough affection. She picks up the cranky one-year-old, Naman, her grandson who has just lost his mother. One more hungry mouth to feed in a family of eight. Kalawati's forehead pleats in a fierce frown. "You can't depend on anyone, anything. Not rains, not government." Perhaps not even on her 28-year-old daughter, Naman's mother Savita, who set herself ablaze in September. "She was bleeding continuously since Naman's birth," says Kalawati. "I used to take her to the doctor." But with money in short supply, Savita took the familiar way out. Poverty and grief stalk Kalawati's home.

"I would take you to the house of Kalawatiâ€¦a woman with nine children whose husband committed suicide. I would urge you to respect her." When Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi quoted her example in his July 21, 2008, Lok Sabha speech, describing how she had diversified her income, Kalawati became the symbol of rural resurgence. But Rahul didn't return to check on her. In 2010, Kalawati's son-in-law, plagued by debts, committed suicide. In September, it was her daughter-the fourth death in her family in the last six years.

There's at least one Kalawati in every village in Maharashtra's "graveyard for farmers", Vidarbha. In the last 16 years, Vidarbha has recorded the largest wave of suicides in history, according to the Centre for Human Rights and Global Justice of New York University School of Law (CHRGJ). And a great number of those affected are cotton farmers. A study of official data by K. Nagaraj of the Madras Institute of Development Studies, reports that nearly 29,000 farmers committed suicide in Maharashtra between 1997 and 2005 due to extreme poverty. The figure for Vidarbha is estimated to be 8,652 between 2004 and 2011. This year, 647 cases have already been reported, according to the Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti (VJAS).

The figures hide lives ruined as collateral damage. According to some estimates, there are 1.5 million surviving family members affected by the suicides. Their stories are no less tragic. With the husband's death, a new vicious cycle of debt is set in motion: the widows inherit their husbands' debts, work round the clock to pay back as well as make ends meet, lose a way of life, status and standing in society, and the children get sucked into farm work.

This is an excerpt from India Today Cover Story dated November 7, 2011. To read more, subscribe to the magazine.

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/suicide-in-vidarbha-rahul-gandhi-kalawati/1/157775.html

‘Cotton for my shroud’ won Gold at the IDPA Awards-2011 and Nominated for the Vatavaran Environment and Wildlife Film Festival-2011

2011-10-26T12:50:00.000-07:00

Documentary on Vidarbha Agrarian Crisis ‘Cotton for my shroud’ won Gold at the IDPA Awards-2011 and Nominated for the Vatavaran Environment and Wildlife Film Festival-2011

Nagpur -26^th October 2011

The story of the cotton farmers suicides of Vidarbha produced as documentary film ‘Cotton for my shroud’ by Top Quark Films and directed by Nandan Saxena & Kavita Bahl has been overwhelmingly viewed and got a very good response at the Mumbai Film Festival, organised by MAMI which was screened at Cinemax, Versova on October 15, 2011which has won the gold for script at the IDPA Awards-2011 and It has also been nominated for the Vatavaran Environment and Wildlife Film Festival at Delhi, to be held in December 2011, Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti president Kishor Tiwari informed today.

“This is first documentary film which gives true picture of ground reality and exposes the reason of mass genocides of farmers done bt the state and US base Bt.cotton seed company Monsanto We are trying to organize screenings in different cities in other Indian metros too so that we can get civil society support which has turned it’s blind eye on this very serious issue over years .we are indebted to producer who has dared to release this documentary even after getting big hurdles from administration ”Tiwari added.

‘Cotton for my shroud’ shows story of dying field of vidarbha where more than 10,000 cotton farmers have committed suicides since 2004 after the introduction of American Bt.cotton seed as it report and

I QUOTE

You need iron in your soul to walk through the villages in Vidarbha region of India. There is hardly a farmer here who is not under debt and rarely will you come across a village where there has been no suicide. This cotton-growers belt once known for its fine cotton produce is known for cotton farmers' suicides today. It is now termed as the 'graveyard of farmers' by statisticians.

Vidarbha region in the state of Maharashtra – one of the richest states in India - has the highest instance of farmer suicides in India. With over 2.5 million tribal people, it is a classic case of a forest and mineral-rich region languishing while the funds for development are siphoned off to the 'influential' districts in the state. The voice for a separate statehood for Vidarbha is gaining momentum.

The feature-length documentary, 'Cotton for my shroud' is not reportage. The film tries to understand from a grass-roots perspective what is driving cotton farmers in India to despair - is it just a crisis of farm credit and the stranglehold of the moneylender or are they victims of faulty paradigms of development.

The agriculture policies of the Government and their collusion with multinational corporations eyeing the vast market in India - are exposed by the testimonies of farmers and scientists. Torn between aggressive marketing of supposedly 'better varieties' of transgenic crops by the State and his traditional wisdom of low-cost and eco-friendly agriculture, the farmer ultimately lands up in the honey trap of Bt. The result is in an unending cycle of debt and misery.

'Cotton for my shroud' was shot over two extensive visits to the hinterlands of Vidarbha.

In the summer, the lack of resources and bank loan for sowing the fields drives poor farmers to end their lives. In the winter, the depressed rates of cotton become the proverbial last straw.

If one farmer kills himself, we can call it a suicide. But when a quarter of a million kill themselves, how can the government call it suicide? It is genocide.

The Indian state has created conditions that are not conducive to the survival of small farmers. They want them to go, just as the small farmers disappeared in the west. In their place shall step-in large corporations that own vast swathes of farmland, growing pesticide-laced, genetically-modified food for an unsuspecting nation.Narrated in the first person, from the p.o.v of the film-makers, the film looks at the macro picture while following the lives of three families.

While the state and the media label these deaths as suicide, the cotton fields of Vidarbha remain a mute witness to genocide.The film was shot over two visits to the hinterlands of Vidarbha.

Narrated in the first person, the film looks at the macro picture while following the lives of three families. It gives us a window into the drama and despair that forms the warp and weft of life at Vidarbha.

About the Directors: Nandan Saxena & Kavita Bahl

Nandan Saxena & Kavita Bahl work in the genre of documentary and poetry films.

Their oeuvre spans the domains of ecology, livelihoods, development and human rights.

Having spent almost a decade as news-journalists, they turned a new leaf and started as independent documentary film-makers in 1996. Their films explore man’s relationship with his environment through diverse themes and issues: culture, poetry, water, climate change, sustainable livelihoods and human rights.

Their voluntary initiative ‘Via-Media’ is an effort to catalyse change by taking positive stories to receptive minds, and to build the capacity of citizens groups and movements. They take workshops to initiate inquisitive minds into film-making and photography.

Before studying journalism, both of them were students of English literature at the University of Delhi. Kavita reported for The Indian Express for seven years, of which, two were spent covering special features in the North-eastern states.

UNQUOTE

VJAS has thanked Nandan Saxena & Kavita Bahl for their grate work and pain while touring dying field of vidarbha and ‘Cotton for my shroud’ documentary will certainly boost cause of innocent cotton farmer who are victims of wrong policies of state and will force the law makers to stop this massive corruption leading genocide of farmers in future ,Tiwari said.

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Three farmers’ suicides reported on the Eve Chief Minister Vidarbha Visit

2011-10-23T06:06:00.001-07:00

Three farmers’ suicides reported on the Eve Chief Minister Vidarbha Visit

NAGPUR: October 23, 2011

Three farmers, said to be debt-ridden, have allegedly committed suicide in Maharashtra's Vidarbha regionon eve of state Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan ,ill fated farmers are

1. Raghunath Vishwanath Gaigol, a resident of village Vitali, consumed poison yesterday and later died in a private hospital, they said.Gaigol was reeling under financial burden, but the immediate trigger for the extreme step was non-supply of regular power which prevented timely irrigation of his standing crop, they said.

2. Dnyaneshwar Sahebrao Solanki (26), a resident of Patoda, consumed poison on October 20. He, along with his father, was facing financial burden of Rs 1.62 lakh.

3.Baliram shiva Talmale of village kuhi in Nagpur district committed suicide due to debt and crop failure as reports published here taking toll 648 in year 2011 alone , Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti president Kishor Tiwari informed today.

In Maharashtra alone cotton is cultivated over 52 lakh hectare and the lion's share of it is in the rain fed region of Vidarbha and Marathwada where Bt.cotton crop has been failed due to long dry spell in September severely effecting the net yield of cotton by 50% resulting another Black Diwali for Bt.cotton growers who are in rip of agrarian crisis and committing suicides since June 2005 .The rain sensitive Bt.cotton seed which has increased almost triple the cultivation cost and drop down the net average cotton production per hector coupled with international market volatility and Indian Govt. export restrictions are the main reasons of prevailing distress and despair in region forcing the cotton farmers to kill themselves which is matter of national shame but complete apathy of Govt. at the centre and state are adding fuel to this on going farmers genocide, Tiwari said.

Since august party leaders who are in power are found busy in demanding MSP for cotton like public auction from Rs 5,000 or Rs 6000 per quintal and it is countered by the opposition leaders with the demand for Rs 7,000 or Rs 8,000 per quintal for the sake of political mileage making joke of the debt ridden farmers suffering as UPA Congress-NCP government has shamelessly hiked the cotton price from Rs 3,000 to Rs 3,300 a quintal in four years overlooking sky rocketing production cost which is allowing private traders to exploit the cotton farmers hence Maharashtra farmers are demanding state procurement at minimum Rs . 6000 per quintal in order to give bailout relief more than 5 million debt trapped cotton farmers of Maharashtra as there are valid reasons when The Maharashtra State Cooperative Cotton Growers Marketing Federation chairman Dr NP Hirani has demanded Rs 6,000 per quintal while MPCC president Manikrao Thakre urged Congress president Sonia Gandhi to ensure Rs 5,000 MSP followed by social justice minister Shivajirao Moghe took two MLAs along with him to New Delhi and they urged the Party President Smt.Sonia Gnadhiji to lift ban on cotton export permanently and hike the MSP to Rs 7,000 per quintal but in ground reality cotton farmers will another Black Diwali andthere are more chances of farm suicides due on going despair and distress, Tiwari added.

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Another ‘Black Diwali’ for five million Maharashtra Cotton Farmers due to Crop Failure and Non-Procurement from The Govt

2011-10-21T02:44:00.000-07:00

Another ‘Black Diwali’ for five million Maharashtra Cotton Farmers due to Crop Failure and Non-Procurement from The Govt.

NAGPUR: October 21, 2011

In Maharashtra alone cotton is cultivated over 52 lakh hectare and the lion's share of it is in the rain fed region of Vidarbha and Marathwada where Bt.cotton crop has been failed due to long dry spell in September severely effecting the net yield of cotton by 50% resulting another Black Diwali for Bt.cotton growers who are in rip of agrarian crisis and committing suicides since June 2005 .The rain sensitive Bt.cotton seed which has increased almost triple the cultivation cost and drop down the net average cotton production per hector coupled with international market volatility and Indian Govt. export restrictions are the main reasons of prevailing distress and despair in region forcing the cotton farmers to kill themselves which is matter of national shame but complete apathy of Govt. at the center and state are adding fuel to this on going farmers genocide, Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti president Kishor Tiwari informed today.

Since August party leaders who are in power are found busy in demanding MSP for cotton like public auction from Rs 5,000 or Rs 6000 per quintal and it is countered by the opposition leaders with the demand for Rs 7,000 or Rs 8,000 per quintal for the sake of political mileage making joke of the debt ridden farmers suffering as UPA Congress-NCP government has shamelessly hiked the cotton price from Rs 3,000 to Rs 3,300 a quintal in four years overlooking sky rocketing production cost which is allowing private traders to exploit the cotton farmers hence Maharashtra farmers are demanding state procurement at minimum Rs . 6000 per quintal in order to give bailout relief more than 5 million debt trapped cotton farmers of Maharashtra as there are valid reasons when The Maharashtra State Cooperative Cotton Growers Marketing Federation chairman Dr NP Hirani has demanded Rs 6,000 per quintal while MPCC president Manikrao Thakre urged Congress president Sonia Gandhi to ensure Rs 5,000 MSP followed by social justice minister Shivajirao Moghe took two MLAs along with him to New Delhi and they urged the Party President Smt.Sonia Gnadhiji to lift ban on cotton export permanently and hike the MSP to Rs 7,000 per quintal but in ground reality cotton farmers will another Black Diwali andthere are more chances of farm suicides due on going despair and distress, Tiwari added.

शेतकऱ्यांच्या जखमेवर मीठ चोळू नका, पदांचे राजीनामे द्या कापूस हमी भाव वाढीचे कागदी घोडे

2011-10-19T13:11:00.000-07:00

शेतकऱ्यांच्या जखमेवर मीठ चोळू नका, पदांचे राजीनामे द्या कापूस हमी भाव वाढीचे कागदी घोडे

शेतकऱ्यांच्या जखमेवर मीठ चोळू नका, पदांचे राजीनामे द्या

कापूस हमी भाव वाढीचे कागदी घोडे
यवतमाळ, १९ ऑक्टोबर / वार्ताहर
दिवाळी तोंडावर आली असताना आणि कापूस पणन महासंघाची खरेदी सुरू झालेली नसताना खाजगी व्यापाऱ्यांना कापूस विकण्याशिवाय शेतकऱ्यांना पर्यायच नसल्याने ‘वाट्टेल त्या भावात’ खरेदी होत असून शेतकऱ्यांचे शोषण होत आहे, असा आरोप विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समितीने केला आहे. पणन महासंघासह विविध संघटना आणि नेते केवळ हमीभाव सहा हजार रुपये असावा, सात हजार रुपये असावा, नऊ हजार रुपये असावा, अशा केवळ मागण्या करून कागदी घोडे नाचवत शेतकऱ्यांच्या जखमेवर मीठ चोळत आहेत, अशी टीका ‘विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समिती’ चे नेते किशोर तिवारी यांनी केली आहे.
यावर्षी पाऊस उशिरा सुरू झाला, नंतर पाहिजे तेव्हा आला नाही, खतांचा तुटवडा होता, कापसावर रोगांचे अतिक्रमण आले. परिणामी, यंदा कापसाचे उत्पादन मोठय़ा प्रमाणावर घटणार हे उघड आहे. अशा स्थितीत कापसाला किमान सहा हजार रुपये हमीभाव आणि प्रती क्विंटल चार हजार रुपये बोनस सरकारने दिला पाहिजे.
शेतकऱ्यांसाठी सरकार काहीच करत नाही व पणन महासंघासह सारेजण केवळ मागण्यांचे कागदी घोडे नाचवत आहेत, असे तिवारी यांनी एका पत्रकात म्हटले आहे. महाराष्ट्रात ५२ लाख हेक्टर क्षेत्रावर कपाशीची लागवड झाली आहे. यवतमाळ जिल्ह्य़ात साडेपाच लाख हेक्टर क्षेत्रात कपाशी आहे मात्र, सर्वत्र उत्पादनात घट येणार आहे. दिवाळी तोंडावर आहे. कापूस खरेदीसाठी सरकार तयार नाही. खाजगी व्यापारी या संधीचा फायदा घेऊन मनमानेल त्या भावात कापूस खरेदी करत आहेत.
पणन महासंघाचे अध्यक्ष डॉ. एन.पी. हिराणी म्हणतात, हमी भाव सहा हजार रुपये द्या, काँग्रेस प्रदेशाध्यक्ष आमदार माणिकराव ठाकरे म्हणतात, किमान पाच हजार रुपये हमीभाव द्या, कापूस परिषदेत सात हजाराची मागणी झाली, तर काही संघटनांनी नऊ हजाराची मागणी केली, पण प्रत्यक्षात कोणी काहीही करत नाहीत.
सामाजिक न्यायमंत्री शिवाजीराव मोघे व आमदार नीलेश पारवेकर सोनिया गांधी यांना दिल्लीत भेटले आणि सात हजार रुपये हमीभाव असावा, अशी मागणी केली. हे सारे प्रकार शेतकऱ्यांच्या जखमेवर मीठ चोळणे आहे. या नेत्यांनी एकतर हमीभाव सात हजार रुपये मिळवून द्यावा किंवा पदांचे राजीनामे तरी द्यावेत आणि रस्त्यावर येऊन आंदोलन करावे, असे आवाहन विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समितीने केले आहे. कापूस उत्पादक शेतकऱ्यांचे हाल आहेत, त्यांची दिवाळी अंधारात जाणार हे कटूसत्य आहे, अशी सार्वत्रिक प्रतिक्रिया आहे.

Tiwari demands Rs 6,000 MSP for cotton-Times of India

2011-10-17T23:41:00.000-07:00

Printed from

Kishore Tiwari demands Rs 6,000 MSP for cotton

TNN | Oct 18, 2011, 03.12AM IST
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Tiwari-demands-Rs-6000-MSP-for-cotton/articleshow/10395293.cms

Yavatmal: Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti president Kishor Tiwari had demanded minimum support price of Rs 6,000 per quintal of cotton for farmers of Vidarbha.

In a press release on Sunday Tiwari said, "The Congress-NCP government has shamelessly hiked the cotton price from Rs 3,000 to Rs 3,300 a quintal in four years overlooking sky rocketing production cost. As a result the farmers in the country have been forced to suffer a Rs 2000 crore loss.

In Maharashtra alone cotton is cultivated over 52 lakh hectare and the lion's share of it is in the rain fed region of Vidarbha. Tiwari said. "At present these party leaders are found busy in demanding MSP for cotton like public auction," Tiwari said, adding the ruling party leaders demand for Rs 5,000 or Rs 6000 per quintal and it is countered by the opposition leaders with the demand for Rs 7,000 or Rs 8,000 per quintal for the sake of political mileage. Tiwari urged them not to make joke of the debt ridden farmers suffering only losses every season.

The Maharashtra State Cooperative Cotton Growers Marketing Federation chairman Dr NP Hirani has demanded Rs 6,000 per quintal while MPCC president Manikrao Thakre urged Congress president Sonia Gandhi to ensure Rs 5,000 MSP. A couple of days ago, social justice minister Shivajirao Moghe took two MLAs along with him to New Delhi and they urged the party president to lift ban on cotton export permanently and hike the MSP to Rs 5,000 per quintal. Tiwari urged these leaders to arrive at a consensus and insist for Rs 6,000 MSP.

He urged the opposition to launch mass agitation for Rs 6,000 per quintal MSP and Rs 4,000 special assistance loss incentive against each quintal of cotton.

‘Everyone has abandoned me’-Times of India

2011-10-16T04:03:00.000-07:00

Publication: The Times Of India Mumbai;

Date: Oct 16, 2011;

Section: Times City;

Page: 8

‘Everyone has abandoned me’
==========================

Sukhada Tatke TNN
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JTS8yMDExLzEwLzE2I0FyMDA4MDA=&Mode=HTML&Locale=english-skin-custom
Farm widow Aparna Mallikar’s KBC win turned sour when relatives, money lenders and fake creditors descended on her, demanding their share. It’s the same story everywhere

THE BIG PICTURE Days before Aparna Mallikar was to appear on KBC, her brother-in-law, who’s an NCPturned-Congress leader and former mayor of Nagpur, called the organisers and said that her husband’s was not a case of farm suicide, and that the suicide was, in fact, propelled by Mallikar’s parents and herself

It took a few moments of intense uncertainty before Aparna Mallikar, 27, decided to relinquish her hot seat opposite Amitabh Bachchan. Something told her that the answer to the question he had just posed (‘Who wrote 4000 abhangs on Vithoba?’) was Sant Tukaram—but not wanting to lose out on what was within reach, she chose to withdraw from the contest with a prize money of Rs 6.40 lakh. She believed the amount would be enough to bail her out of the misery awaiting her back home in the hamlet of Vara-Kawatha in Yavatmal district, about 750 kilometers away from the glamour of where she was. Instead, there was more anguish lingering at her doorstep.

Aparna, whose debt-ridden, cotton-growing farmer husband Sanjay ended his life in August 2008, thought that winning the money would, if not entirely put an end to her family’s misfortune, at least temporarily assuage their distress. However, the sudden windfall and the publicity accompanying it translated into burgeoning problems with her in-laws, the arrival of a clutch of people posing as creditors and an unprecedented increase in familial and neighbourhood discord. Amitabh Bachchan, moved by her sorry tale, gave her Rs 1 lakh. The money that she won on the show, aired on September 29, is yet to be transferred to her.

After her husband’s death, Aparna was left to raise her two daughters, eight-year-old Rohini and four-year-old Samruddhi, all by herself (Samruddhi was barely nine months old when her father consumed pesticide). Sanjay’s debts to private moneylenders and banks stood at Rs 2 lakh. The family did not get compensation from the government, as his suicide was considered “ineligible” for it. In the circumstances, KBC could have been the panacea but it was not to be.

“The problems started even before my show was aired,” says Aparna. “Days before I was to appear on it, my brother-in-law, who’s an NCPturned-Congress leader and former mayor of Nagpur, called the organisers and said that my husband’s was not a case of farm suicide, and that the suicide was, in fact, propelled by my parents and me. The allegations took a great mental toll on me. As if I hadn’t borne a heavy enough burden after my husband died, I had to now start proving with documents that he had indeed ended his life because of debts. My in-laws, who abandoned my daughters and me days after my husband died, have been trying to ensure that the money doesn’t reach me. Various other people are approaching me, saying that they had lent my husband money, but I have no way to verify this.”

Aparna’s is not an isolated case—very often, a simple act of assistance has turned into a nightmare for widows because of the publicity surrounding it. When Rahul Gandhi visited and later mentioned Kalawati Bandurkar from Jalka village in Yavatmal during a Lok Sabha debate in 2008, she went on to become the face of the agrarian crisis in Vidarbha. Soon enough, help poured in for this mother of nine, whose husband’s death had drained her emotionally and financially. As the news spread and grabbed the attention of everyone from local leaders to the global media, several hawks swooped down, demanding money. “Suddenly, her family members increased. Those who were never around earlier came and started demanding their share of the money. It caused a lot of problems,” says Kishore Tiwari, leader of the Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti, afarmers’ advocacy group.

Magsaysay award winner P Sainath, who has worked to highlight the agrarian crisis for over a decade, explains that the problem often arises after a huge public spectacle is made of the simple act of extending assistance to an affected family. “When one draws attention to help given or received, one invites a host of predators to descend on the widow and children, including all the creditors of her late husband and money lenders,” he says. “Most of this debt is illegal. Even though the principal amount is repaid several times over, high interest rates ensure that the widow can never be out of debt. Also, more often than not, the farmer never consults his wife and doesn’t even keep her in the loop about his financial transactions, most of which are based on word of honour. After he dies is probably the first time that the wife meets his creditors. While some of them exaggerate the amounts owed to them, others are plain frauds.”

A few years ago, a Californian idealist read about farmers’ suicides in Andhra Pradesh and decided to clear all the widows’ debts. While his visit was accompanied by a flood of media publicity, the entire amount went to money lenders. The result, says Sainath, was the same as in most cases: “The widows were left with nothing.”

In many cases, a widow gets socially isolated and at the receiving end of resentment and jealousy from neighbours and family members who are all in the same, impoverished state. “When Amitabh Bachchan asked me why I still wore a mangalsutra, I told him it was to ward off unwelcome male attention,” says Aparna. “But now my in-laws and others have been taunting me, saying the mangalsutrais a sign of another man’s presence.” Tears well up in her eyes as she ends, “This is the most difficult part of the journey.”

Congress –NCP Political War on Cotton MSP makes Mockery of Cotton Farmer’s Crisis-VJAS

2011-10-15T02:45:00.000-07:00

Congress –NCP Political War on Cotton MSP makes Mockery of Cotton Farmer’s Crisis-VJAS

Nagpur -16^th October 2011

Recent demand congress party senior Minister in Maharashtra Govt. Shivajirao Moghe that central Govt. should raise Minimum Support Price MSP of cotton to Rs.7000/- per quintal as against Rs.3,300 per quintal fixed by Central Govt. for cotton season 2011-12 to UPA convener Smt.Sonia Gandhi who he met yesterday along with delegation of MLAs of west vidarbha , has initiated political war with it’s political partner NCP as NCP controlled Maharashtra cotton marketing federation chairman Dr.N.P.Hirani has officially urged central Govt. earlier to raise cotton MSP to Rs.6000/- per quintal by giving all logistic and economics behind the demand as CACP has not considered it while declaring the MSP has made mockery of 3 million cotton farmers who are committing suicides since 2005 due to agrarian crisis and this political war to take credit of non-doing will further aggravate the crisis resulting more farm suicides in west vidarbha , Kishore Tiwari of cotton farmers’ advocacy group Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti-VJAS who is demanding urgent revision in MSP and procurement of cotton by state owned agency NAFED informed in press release today .

“Earlier MPCC President Manikrao Thakare wrote to Prime Minister on this serious issue of injustice with cotton growers of region who are innocent victims of wring policies of central Govt. while declaring MSP by CACP which is controlled by Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar , has ignored all norms all facts and declared MSP at Rs.3,300 under the pressure of textile lobby asked urged centre to raise it Rs.5000 per quintal and in reply to this NCP controlled Maharashtra cotton marketing federation wrote second letter to PMO demanding the revision of cotton MSP to Rs.6,000 per quintal but the ground reality is central Govt. has shown dustbin to both letters and distressed and debt trapped cotton farmers are forced to sale their cotton in throw away price and are committing suicides that’s most unfortunate ” Tiwari added.

‘If NCP wants cotton farmers should get MSP of Rs.6,000/- then they should part with centre and state Govt .on this issue and same is the case with MPCC President Manikrao Thakare and all Ministers/MLAs of vidarbha should resign from party to save dying cotton growers who are committing suicides due economic losses after the crop failure this year .the current situation in west vidarbha and part of maharashtra is too worst to describe as cotton crop in around 52 lakhs hector has been failed and cotton growers in the region are in deep economic crisis needs urgent bailout package hence Cong.-NCP should stop political war of cotton MSP issue and ask Govt. to start procurement of cotton through CCI or NAFED ar the MSP Rs.6000/- per quintal’ VJAS demanded.

केबीसी फेम अपर्णा मालीकरचा सासरच्या मंडळीकडून छळ, सोनियांकडे मदतीची याचना

2011-10-09T05:18:00.001-07:00

STAR Majha Marathi news: Featuring latest news from Mumbai, Maharashtra, Konkan, pune, Nagpur. Exclusive coverage of Marathi news.

केबीसी फेम अपर्णा मालीकरचा सासरच्या मंडळीकडून छळ, सोनियांकडे मदतीची याचना

नितीन भागवते, प्रतिनिधी, स्टार माझा

यवतमाळ : अमिताभ बच्चनच्या केबीसीमध्ये हॉट सीट वर बसलेली शेतकरी विधवा काँग्रेस नेत्याच्या जाचामुळे त्रस्त झाली आहे. अखेर या छळातून मुक्ती मिळण्यासाठी या विधवेने थेट सोनिया गांधींना साद घातली आहे. स्थानिक काँग्रेस नेत्यांकडून होणारा जाच न थांबल्यास आत्महत्या करण्याची धमकीही या विधवेनं दिली आहे.

पतीच्या आत्महत्येनंतर शेतात राबून आपल्या दोन लहान मुलींचे पालन पोषण करणारी वारा कवठा येथील अपर्णा मालीकर कौन बनेगा करोडपती या कार्यक्रमामुळे प्रसिद्धीच्या झोतात आली. या कार्यक्रमातून तिला सहा लाख चाळीस हजार रुपये आणि अमिताभ बच्चन यांच्याकडून व्यक्तिगत एक लाख रुपये मदत मिळाली. एकीकडे अपर्णाला मदत तसेच प्रसिद्धी मिळाली मात्र तिच्या सासरची मंडळी दुखावली गेली.

अपर्णाचे भासरे तसेच काँग्रेसचे स्थानिक नेते असलेल्या रघुनाथ मालीकर यांनी तिला त्रास द्यायला सुरू केलाय. परिवाराची करीत असलेली शेती सुद्धा तिच्या पासून हडपण्याचा प्रयत्न सुरु झाल्याचा तिचा आरोप आहे.

विशेष म्हणजे तिच्या सासरच्या मंडळींनी केबीसीमध्ये जाण्यापासून तिला अडविण्याचाही पुरेपूर प्रयत्न केला. समाजात जाणीवपूर्वक बदनामी करण्याचा प्रयत्न सुरु असल्याने अखेर त्रस्त होवून अपर्णाने थेट सोनिया गांधीकडे मदतीची याचना केली आहे. स्थानिक काँग्रेस नेत्यांकडून होत असलेला त्रास कमी झाला नाही तर आत्महत्या करण्याची धमकीही दिली आहे.

तीन वर्षापूर्वी अपर्णाचे पती संजय यांनी विष पिऊन करून आत्महत्या केली. या नंतर अपर्णाच्या सासरच्या लोकांनी अपर्णाचे वडील आणि भाऊ यांच्या विरोधात तक्रार केल्याने आजही या दोघांवर न्यायालयात केस चालू आहे. आता अपर्णाला सुधा त्रास द्यायला सुरूवात केलीय.

अमिताभ बच्चन सारख्या महान कलाकाराने जिची पाठ थोपटून प्रशंसा केली तिथे सासरच्या लोकांनी मात्र तिचा छळ सुरु केला आहे. पतीच्या मृत्युनंतर धीर न सोडता शेतात राबून आपल्या लहान मुलींचे भविष्य घडविण्याचा प्रयत्न करणाऱ्या या विधवेच्या हाकेला सोनिया गांधी कसा प्रतिसाद देतात, याकडे सर्वांचे लक्ष लागले आहे.

KBC Vidarbha Farm Widow Threaten to commit suicide - Aparna Malikar’s urged Smt.Sonia Gandhi for intervention

2011-10-07T12:04:00.000-07:00

KBC Vidarbha Farm Widow Threaten to commit suicide - Aparna Malikar’s urged Smt.Sonia Gandhi for intervention

Varha-kawadha -8^th October 2011

Vidarbha farm widow who is the news due to entry on hot seat on popular Hindi serial of ‘Sony TV -Kaun Banega Crorepati(KBC)’ Aprana Maliker has threaten to commit suicide along with her father and brother if atrocities done by local congress leader who his her brother of her husband and local police are not stopped .she has written letter to UPA chief Smt.Sonia Gandhi on Affidavit narrating her pathetic condition and grave injustice done after her husband committed suicide due crop failure and huge debt urging soniaji for urgent intervention in order to save dying family.

Narrating her saga in a letter farm widows has high lighted the plights of 8,000 vidarbha farm widows who are facing same fate after their husband are committing suicide as these widows are denied the right to cultivate and they are forced to leave the house and blamed for the tragedies asking UPA chief to create law to protect rights of farm wdows and provide complete rehabilitation package ,Aparna Malikar urged in a affidavit submitted to her.

Un folding her untold saga ,farm widows affidavit throw light on the fact that how the unfortunate death of husband of vidarbha farm widow who is victim of on going agrarian crisis happens to be the younger brother of Nagpur base congress leader and deputy mayor of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) and Politically very close to maharashtra home ministry Aaba Patil, can force farm widows to see her father and brother behind the bar and her removal from house before funeral of the diseased debt-trap farmer ,KBC’s fame Vidarbha Farm widow Aparna Malikar informed in letter on affidavit .

She adds in her letter that ‘My husband Sanjay Malikar was cultivating the family owned land since 2001 and he was official cultivator of the land as official revenue record but all income was shared by other brothers Raghunath,Sunil and Raju who are staying at Nagpur but when agrarian crisis started 2005 and cotton economy collapse ,heavy losses in Agriculture change the happy days turned in to gloomy one when debt started mounting creating fresh default with banks and harassment from the family members that forced him to kill himself but tragedy which has not darken by future but he has stuck to parent very badly when Raghunath Malikar used his political contacts and turned case farmers suicide in to culpable homicide lodging the FIR against my father Arun tathe and brother Amol Tathe and me too and police booked offence against us and arrested my father and brother ,they were behind the bar for more than 45 days ,it was not enough for these brothers who forced to out of my house and locked house but decided to live there only occupy the house and land and started cultivating it but atrocities are till continued and my parents are going to court and am also fighting legal battle to get my right of land .after the struggle of survival now I have got the strength and confidence to restart the life hence I joined open university to complete my matriculation .before the help from mega star Abhitabh Bachachan it was helping hand from P.sainath Mumbai and Adv.Amita Joseph New Delhi who helped me start cultivation and education of two daughters now KBC has changed my life but I an scared of past experience and pray the god not repeat the same ’ Aparna Malikar said .

‘when hundreds of vidarbha farm widows shared their experience this is common problem and serious plights farm widows of early 30s as most of widows are denied the land right and blamed for the suicide of husband and forced to leave the house ,if they are fighting for their legal land right they subjected for the severe atrocities and life is made miserable and civil society is mare spectators is most of cases hence we are demanding the proper rehabilitation and protection to all farm widows who are facing the similar problem like me.KBC can focus problem one Aparna but what about thousand of Aparnas who are dying before the death ’Malikar added.

‘when BigB asked ,you are widow but till you are wearing ‘Mangalsutra’ ,my answer was to protect from society this is must ,he was shocked and touched but I was cool as this was simple question for me and for all widows who lost husband in early 30s as well. KBC has given the opportunity to civil society to respond to answer and we are victims of the decision of our father to select farmer as our life partner when we are told that India in last decade more than two lacs fourty thousand farmer killed themselves and vidarbha has been farm suicide capital of India ,I will request all parents not marry their beloved daughter to cotton farmer of vidarbha to avoid humiliation, gloom and despondency and jail too.’ Aparna urged.

‘The joy of being celebrity of KBC was short-lived when VJAS activist came to house in night and told me that Raghunath Malikar has claimed that his younger brother was not farmer and he was never debt-trapped asked me more over he also informed that I am not farm widows too ,Activist asked me give all papers and bank notice copy too which I gave him, we are now very much scared as I don’t want any more police custody to father and brother and I want live peaceful life with two daughter even without KBC price money and if we are not saved from on going atrocities we will forced to committee suicide ’ Aparna Malikar added in her affidavit cum letter addressed to Smt.Soniaji Gandhi.

Aparna Malikar-Life, before and after KBC-Times of India

2011-09-30T00:55:00.000-07:00

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Aparna Malikar-Life, before and after KBC

Vaibhav Ganjapure, TNN | Sep 30, 2011, 12.54PM IST

NAGPUR: Aparna Malikar was living a miserable life after her husband Sanjay committed suicide in 2008. She was suddenly responsible for paying a farm loan she never knew her husband had taken. Her in-laws disowned her, did not allow her to take part in the funeral, and refused to feed her or the two children. Above all, the farm cultivated by the family was embroiled in a legal dispute over ownership and the other party was close to winning the case.

Then, luck smiled on her and Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) happened. Aparna received a call from Swapna Nayar, who had been given Aparna's name by farm activist Kishore Tiwari, who heads the Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti. Today, life is on a completely different trajectory now that she has won Rs 6.5 lakh on the game show.

However, it was not all that easy for Aparna. KBC personnel first interviewed her at length. Then, Nayar came down to meet her, see her surroundings and watch her working on the farm.

"I had hardly gone out of the house for some five years after my marriage in 2005. Let alone visiting other cities, the most I travelled was to Pandharkawda. I used to restrict myself to the home and take care of my kids," Aparna says.

Like most women in rural areas, at 25, Aparna was contented with her family of husband and two little daughters - Rohini (7) and Samruddhi (3). However, the world came crashing down when her husband, a cotton farmer, committed suicide in 2008 due to mounting debt.

Aparna was also left facing a family disputes, where she accused her brother-in-law and former deputy mayor Raghunath Malikar of not paying any attention to her family. "After my hubby's death, I was forced out during the last rites and never allowed to speak to the police. In fact, false charges were levelled against my father and brother, and they spent 10 days in jail."

She says that even though she was in a state of shock her in-laws, including Raghunath, never came to her help. She was left alone to fend for herself and her kids. "Me and the kids remained hungry for about three days, with only the villagers helping us," she says.

However, she fought against all odds and took up farming on their six acre plot of land. She started tilling the land to pay off the farm loan that her husband had taken without telling her. Slowly, she not only became adept at farming, but also learnt many intricacies of the profession. "I now use only organic manure made at home using human and animal waste. I want thousands widows like me to live a dignified life," she says.

Aparna also took up the challenge of saving other women facing similar tragedies. She and other women in her Self Help Group (SHG) fought hard to close down a liquor shop in their village. "Our village was in the grip of liquor. First we approached the police, but when they failed to take action we barged into the shop, damaged their stock and forced it to close down," she says.

Then came the invite from KBC and her meeting with Amitabh Bachchan, which left the superstar dazzled and impressed. Aparna, however, was not dazzled by the glitzy world she saw outside her village.

After the KBC win that gave her the license to dream, she has made the education of her children the immediate priority. "I don't mind joining politics, but I am concerned about the education of my daughters. I want them to take up careers like engineering and medical. I never wish them to take up farming, which I this is the worst profession in India."

Despite the huge change of luck, life will still not be easy for Aparna. She is all set to lose her six-acre farm, which she cultivated herself after her hubby's death. "The farm was disputed property, and the opposite party has won the legal battle. But I've some land in my husband's name, and I also plan to open a beauty salon, since I've completed a diploma in beauty parlour. I would have thought of opening another, bigger business, if I had answered the Rs 12 lakh question correctly."

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KBC Aparna Malikar was nervous on TV, and at home too-TIMES OF INDIA

2011-09-30T00:45:00.000-07:00

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Aparna was nervous on TV, and at home too

Vaibhav Ganjapure, TNN | Sep 30, 2011, 12.49PM IST

VARA-KAWTHA (Yavatmal): Thursday was a big day for the villagers here. Their biggest idol, the courageous Aparna Malikar who won Rs 6.40 lakh in KBC to make them proud and the village a much visible blip on India map, was to appear on Kaun Banega Crorepati at 8.30pm. She was also the topic of discussion in the adjoining town of Pandharkawda and other villages.

The day was special to Aparna as she would be getting the prize money of Rs 6.40 lakh as per the contract after the episode was telecast.

After performing the aarti at the Devi pandal at 7pm on their way back from the fields, the villagers started taking position in front of the TV. At about 8.20pm, many including sarpanch Nirmala Gore, started thronging Aparna's small hut constructed from soil and cow dung, and a tin sheet. There was excitement in her home as well as at the neighbours.

However, to their disappointment, the earlier contestant Satish Kumar from Allahabad had not completed his turn. People in Aparna's house waited patiently with some even trying to guess the answers to questions posed by Amitabh Bachchan.

At 9pm there was a commercial break. Finally, Aparna appeared on television. Draped in a yellow sari on the show, she seemed to be nervous initially. At home too. Her elder daughter Rohini was very happy and kept muttering away pointing to the TV. Aparna could barely watch as she was continuously either receiving calls or informing others to watch the show.

On the show, Aparna was accompanied by Manjusha Ambarwar, daughter of another farmer who committed suicide. Manjusha is now pursuing journalism from Nagpur University.

Bachchan tried to make Aparna comfortable by asking her story. While narrating the saga of her husband committing suicide, Aparna got nervous and successfully managed to hold back her tears.

The first question was on beehive and Aparna fully knowing her limitations started using lifelines. Even Big B was amused by her move but she was on the track. She used three lifelines smartly while answering five questions correctly.

Her daughter, studying in second standard at New Model English School at nearby Bori village, was the happiest lot. "Today my teacher and my friends were asking me about the episode and I am very happy," she says. Aparna's younger daughter Samruddhi had fallen asleep.

Aparna quit the game after the seventh question though she later she correctly answered the question of who had written over 4,000 abhangs in praise of Lord Vittal of Pandharpur (Sant Tukaram).

Gore praised Aparna for her courage and dedication. As Big B bid good night after dedicating a poem to her, Aparna told the audience at her home that she felt very happy to meet the superstar. After climbing down from the chairs, Big B told Aparna that he will send her the money which he asked her to deposit in a bank.

"I felt relieved and was happy to meet him. Till that moment I felt I was in my dreams. Today I am relived a dream that has changed my life forever," she said.

Power snag disrupts show

A power snag very early disrupted the show but fortunately it was restored in 10 minutes. Everybody was criticizing the electricity board officials for the same. But as soon as power returned, happiness was visible on everybody's face.

vidarbha farmers out of the bank, into the money-lender's trap-DNA

2011-09-25T02:20:00.000-07:00

Out of the bank, into the money-lender's trap

DNA / Yogesh Pawar / Sunday, September 25, 2011 8:00 IST

"Will you come in now?" screams 50-year-old Tanhibai Kale of Ganeshpur village in Jhari Jhamni tehsil of Yavatmal, the heart of Vidarbha's suicide country. Lightening streaks across the darkened skies, followed by loud thunder. Her drenched nine-year-old grandson Nandu comes in from the downpour and tries to slink in but not before getting two slaps. "Next, you'll fall ill and we'll have to go looking for money to treat you," the matriarch scolds as he whimpers.

The crying seems to spark something. "Why don't we all die? Then all our problems will be over for good," she says angrily wiping her own tears.

It has been a week since her 53-year-old husband Jhabaram committed suicide by consuming pesticide. "He wouldn't sleep at night, and kept worrying about how we could raise money to repay the Rs1.5 lakh we had borrowed," she recounts.

The family ran into problems after rains ravaged their crop earlier this year. They re-sowed the fields, but the rains wouldn't let up and the second crop also began wilting. Jhabaram got anxious about raising money to repay his loan to the local Yavatmal co-operative bank. "He tried going to local money lenders but when they refused, he went to the field and drank pesticide…" her voice trails off. The anger comes back. "This boy (pointing to her 27-year-old epileptic son Sachin) is useless. All he's done is produce a child (Nandu). And this girl (pointing to her 19-year-old daughter Suvarna, a XII-std failure) is a lodestone around our necks. No boy will marry her without a sizeable dowry, and where do we get money for that from?"

To make matters worse, the local talati (village officer) Suresh Dhavale wants a bribe of Rs10,000 to recommend them for the state government relief of Rs1 lakh given to families of farmers who commit suicide due to agri-debt.

In village after village, we encounter the same story: Of dead farmers whose bereaved families are being made to run from pillar to post to get even basic compensation. Figures at the Yavatmal Collectorate show that since 2001, there have been 2,184 farmer suicides. Of these, only 648 have got the Rs1 lakh compensation. "Look, the rules were not made by me. These guidelines and criteria have come from the Central government and we have to go by them," says Yavtamal Collector Shravan Hardikar.

Fifty kilometres away at Hevra Barsa village, we meet Balwant Namdeo Devalwar, 40, who's caught in a debt spiral. After crop failures in 2005, he didn't have enough money for seeds the next year, and borrowed Rs60,000 from the Central Bank. As luck would have it, excessive rain was followed by poor rain in 2006 and his crop failed again, leading him to default on his debt. "The debt kept mounting and I would run out the back door whenever I heard the officials coming to make enquiries," he says.

This carried on till the Agricultural Debt Waiver and Debt Relief Scheme (ADWDRS) launched by UPA-I in 2008 assured him of a 25% waiver. The scheme allows only farmers who own less than 5 acres a complete waiver. Since he owns 17 acres, he couldn't benefit.

These criteria have often been criticised but the government refuses to change them. "In Western Maharashtra, a farmer who owns five acres can own two cars and a tractor, and is well-off. Here in Vidarbha, even a 20-acre farm owner is living hand to mouth," points out Mohan Jadhav of the farmers' advocacy group Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti.

A National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) survey earlier this year found that despite the Rs65,318.33 crore already doled out to farmers under the ADWDRS, nearly 43.42 million (48.6%) of the 89.35 million farmer households in India are still indebted. According to the survey, the figures for Maharashtra stand at 54.8%, despite the ADWDRS.

Devalwar borrowed from a local money lender and sold off his bullocks for Rs35,000 so that he could repay the outstanding amount of his loan and apply afresh. "I got Rs95,000 from the Central Bank in August last year. I've now been hiring bullocks at Rs500 a day for my field and successive crop-failure means I am in default with the both the bank and the money lender."

Despite their reputation, money lenders find many takers. Devalwar explains: "The bank keeps making you go back and forth 20-25 times and yet there is no guarantee you will get the loan in time. A few farmers who applied in early April are getting the loans only now, in September, when the kharif season is over. Though we know how ruthless money lenders are, we are left with no choice."

Collector Hardikar says he had a meeting with the banking heads in the district and told them to process farm loan applications on priority. "The banks have distributed over Rs750 crore this year alone," he points out. But Hardikar cannot explain why poor farmers are left out. "This needs to be systemically addressed at the policy level," is all he offers.

Meanwhile, farmers in urgent need of compensation to repay the bank and the money lender find that the only way out of this debt trap is death.

URL of the article: http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_out-of-the-bank-into-the-money-lender-s-trap_1591237-all

Bt cotton crop washed away in vidarbha-DNA Reports

2011-09-25T02:18:00.000-07:00

Bt cotton crop washed away by 0.0mm rainfall

DNA / Yogesh Pawar / Sunday, September 25, 2011 8:00 IST

Step into the fields with your shoes on and you realise why it makes sense to walk barefoot like Rameshwar Golewar of Kolejhari in Kalam tehsil of Yavatmal district in Vidarbha's suicide country. Your foot slips till the ankle into the soggy clay-like field. "It has rained so much in the last week that my entire crop is ruined," points out Golewar as he looks around the wilting cotton crop on his 12 acre field.

The rains have brought a double whammy. Not only has the rain halted the flowering midway, but has also led to rampant growth of weeds. "If I employ labour to remove weeds, the cost is prohibitive, so I have decided to use weedicide instead. Even a drop of the strong chemical is enough to destroy whatever is left of the cotton. But what choice do I have?"

Farmers like him are caught in a bind even while agro MNCs with a nod from the government are laughing their way to the bank. Authorities first encouraged farmers in Vidarbha to opt for genetically modified Bt cotton, saying the yield will be huge. Despite initial resistance, aggressive campaigning by brand ambassadors like Nana Patekar saw many a farmer convert in the hope they would make a killing.

The blitzkrieg on high yield hadn't informed farmers of how high the cost of fertiliser would be or how pesticide-intensive this species is. "At Rs1,000 a kilo, I spent nearly Rs10,000 on fertiliser alone, and a further Rs12,000 per litre on 6-litre pesticide. Now all that money and my hard work has been washed away," says Rathod.

At the Yavatmal collectorate, a tehsil-wise report submitted to the district collector on rain in the past 24 hours tells a completely different story. The figures for Kalam say 0.00 mm rains. When told of the anomaly between the report and the ground reality, collector Shravan Hardikar has an explanation ready: "The hydrometers which gauge rain are located in the tehsil office. It is impossible to keep track of local instances of high precipitation."

None of the farmers can seek compensation for their losses until the local tehsildar and collector send a recommendation with a panchanama of the loss. Once the district administration shows on record that rains are normal, farmers are left high and dry with their rotting crop.

Attempts to involve collector Hardikar on this issue are met with resistance. "I go by figures in front of me. There may be claims of heavy rain, but statistics with me show that we have only got 84% of the total rainfall we get by this time of the year," he insists. "I have visited Yerat and Tipeshwar and the farm produce seems quite healthy. In fact, it looks like we are expecting a bountiful crop this season."

Even in instances when a panchanama was made, farmers got nothing. Both in Kolejhari and in Baarsa, 80 kms away, farmers are still awaiting compensation for losses in 2005-06. "We know that the funds arrived because compensation was given to farmers in villages with the right political contacts. But we are yet to see any money despite numerous costly reminder trips to the tehsil and collectorate office," says Namdeo Jindewar of Kolejhari.

Little wonder then that there is such despondence in the region, and Yavatmal continues to remain the capital of suicide country.

URL of the article: http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_bt-cotton-crop-washed-away-by-0-0mm-rainfall_1591239-all

Vidarbha farmer's widow wins Rs 6.4L in KBC-TIMES OF INDIA

2011-09-13T02:14:00.001-07:00

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Vidarbha farmer's widow wins Rs 6.4L in KBC

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Vidarbha-farmers-widow-wins-Rs-6-4L-in-KBC/articleshow/9966036.cms
Vaibhav Ganjapure, TNN | Sep 13, 2011, 12.19PM IST

NAGPUR: In an incident echoing the script of movie Slumdog Millionaire, a poor widow of a financially distressed farmer has won Rs 6.40 lakh in hugely popular show Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC). Aparna Mallikar, who hails from Yavatmal district, plans to use the money to pay off her debts and educate her children.

Tears flowed down her cheek when Amitabh Bachchan asked her to recall her life which was full of tragedies. Aparna, however, kept her wits and beat the odds by correctly answering questions put to her. Hailing from little known hamlet of Vara-Kawatha in Yavatmal district, she was selected to represent the farm widows of Vidarbha. The special episode of KBC will be aired on Thursday September 29 at 9pm.

Aparna's name was recommended by Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti (VJAS) president Kishor Tiwari. He was approached by Sony Entertainment executives wanting to raise different social issues through the programme. Her story had been a tragic one. Her husband Sanjay, a progressive cotton farmer, had committed suicide in 2008 on account of mounting debt and persistent crop failure.

Her world came crashing down and she was left alone to look after two daughters Rohini, then 7, and Samruddhi (3). At 25, she fought the odds and took up farming on their six acres. Until then, she wasn't even aware that her husband had taken a loan from urban bank.

On the show, Aparna was lucky to have company of another brave girl Manjusha Ambarwar from the same district that has gained notoriety of having highest number of farmer suicides. Manjusha's father Ramdas was among the first ones to kill himself for same reason. Now, this 18-year-old is pursuing a journalism degree from the Nagpur University. Aparna's father Arun Tathe accompanied the two to Mumbai.

Thanks to the show, both these women stepped into an aeroplane and also in a 5-star hotel for the first time. During her teen years, Aparna had seen many Amitabh movies. She has also watched him on KBC. Her dreams of seeing him became reality last Saturday when the episode was recorded. "It still seems like a dream," an elated Aparna told TOI from her home in Vara-Kawatha.

She still has a debt of Rs 60,000 that she intends to pay back once she gets the money. "I will be providing good education to my daughters and rest will be used for repairing my home. It is an old house and needs repairs," she says. Moved by her plight, Bachchan personally offered her an additional Rs 50,000.

Despite being tenth fail student, Aparna cleverly used her lifelines to correctly answer as many as six questions on the show. "I would like to offer help to over 13,000 widows living miserable life just like me after their husband took extreme step for mounting debts and crop failures," she adds.

Currently pursuing Class XII from YCMOU, she also spoke on increasing number of farmers' suicides in the region and need for sustainable farming. She quit the show after seventh question. "Somewhere in my mind, I was aware that correct answer was Sant Tukaram but didn't want to risk anything as all my lifelines were exhausted," she points put.

Tiwari said he had been approached by the producers and suggested Aparna's name as her life was an example. "Swapna Nayar associated with show called me up and she went all the way to village to actually see how Aparna works in a farm. She spoke to her and other villagers before the special show," he said.

Nayar told TOI from Mumbai that she had read several reports on agrarian crisis of Vidarbha and even an article narrating the plight of widows. The VJAS chief added that even Big B had assured to provide help to the debt-ridden farmers in the region. Renowned director Deepa Bhatia, former censor board chief Sharmila Tagore, Magsaysay award recipient P Sainath and national BJP president Nitin Gadkari were other celebrities are giving helping hand to vidarbha farm widows .

It was a dream come true for 20-year-old Manjusha as well to meet and interact with the superstar. Though she was not on the hot seat, she described the horrific conditions of farmers in the region and the factors that led to commit suicide. "I told them about substandard seeds being sold to the farmers and its impact on farming. They told me not to use them and I said we had no alternative," she said. Hailing from another Yavatmal village - Telang Takali - she plans to highlight agrarian distress after joining the media.

Big B moved by farmers' plight

Bachchan was so moved by the Aparna's plight that after competing shooting at 2.30 am, he wrote a blog stating that he didn't have words to express his anguish and grief at this state. "But there it was. Stark, brutal and honest," he writes terming her story as "incredible". He was amazed that Aparna still wore her Mangalsutra. "She still keeps wearing it because she fears harassment from other men. She is resolved and doesn't want to give up," he says.

"Tonight was the lady who's husband, a farmer in the Vidarbha, committed suicide because he was unable to repay his loan. Suicides in this region have reached alarming proportions," he wrote.

"There are so many of them that are resorting to this form of ending their lives because they are unable to repay their loans and are unable to find a remunerative medium in their business of farming. They leave behind a family. But they are gone and they have left behind a whole lot of people that now face the consequences of their absence," Bachchan explained.

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Farm suicide widow wins Rs. 6.40 lakh on KBC-HINDU

2011-09-12T07:51:00.000-07:00

Published: September 12, 2011 19:51 IST | Updated: September 12, 2011 19:52 IST
http://www.thehindu.com/arts/radio-and-tv/article2447496.ece

Farm suicide widow wins Rs. 6.40 lakh on KBC

Special Correspondent

Special Arrangement Amitabh Bachchan at the fifth season of the quiz show 'Kaun Banega Crorepati'.

“I knew the answer was Sant Tukaram but I wasn’t sure. I didn’t want to lose the money I had already earned,” says Aparna Malikar whose husband Sanjay, a farmer in Vidarbha, committed suicide in 2008.

Aparna, 27, never imagined that one day she would be answering questions in a quiz contest with the host being none other than Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan who was moved enough to give her an additional Rs. 50,000 so that she could pay off her loans. Talking to The Hindu on the phone from her village Vara Kawtha in Yavatmal district, on Monday, she said she and another young woman were selected for the quiz contest Kaun Banega Crorepati and they were in Mumbai last weekend to shoot for the episode. She won Rs. 6.40 lakh after answering three questions correctly and also used three lifelines permitted to ask her friends and the audience for help with the answers. The episode will be aired later this month.

Blogging after the shoot, Mr. Bachchan wrote early Sunday, “I did not have words to be able to express my anguish and grief at this State. But there it was. Stark, brutal and honest.”

“I would have won Rs. 12 lakh had I got the last question I was asked correct but I didn’t take a chance,’’ Aparna said. She will use the money for the education of her two daughters aged seven and three. Educated upto the tenth standard, Aparna has been supported by well wishers and by Kishore Tiwari of the Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti. Mr. Tiwari said that the television company got in touch with him to identify some women who could appear on the show to highlight the issue of suicides in Vidarbha.

This was the first time Aparna visited Mumbai and she flew from Nagpur along with Manjusha Ambarwar who was invited to be in the audience. “I come from a very small village and the city was all new to me,” Aparna said. She had to summon all her courage to speak about her life in the village and she did not allow all the glitz of show biz to unsettle her. “I spoke on the suicides, on the need for sustainable farming and the need to help widows in distress. There are others like me who are not so fortunate, they should be helped too so that we can all have a good future,” she said.

Twenty-year-old Manjusha Ambarwar is a journalism student in Nagpur and at least two of her dreams came true after her visit to Mumbai.” I still cannot believe that I was part of the show hosted by Amitabh Bachchan,” she said. “I was not in the hot seat but was asked a question on farmers and so I spoke about the poor quality of seeds, the terrible impact on farming and the high cost of production,” she said. Already a graduate, when she completes her media course she plans to highlight agrarian distress in her work. “I want to tell farmers not to commit suicide,” she said.

Manjusha was very keen on being selected to answer questions but that was not to be. “Since I was small, I always dreamt of coming to Mumbai and staying here and I wanted to meet Salman Khan too. But I met Amitabh Bachchan,” she giggled. She comes from a small village Telang Takali, which is close to Aparna’s. “I expect that such TV shows should reach a lot of people and even Mr. Bachchan wants to help us. We should have access to good seeds not the spurious Bt cotton that is available now,” she added. Manjusha’s father Ramdas committed suicide in 1999.

Mr. Tiwari said that his organisation was helping the widows but there were 12 to 13,000 women who have been demanding a pension to support their families. The issue is highlighted sporadically when something like this happens. There is no sustained approach, he lamented.

Writing about his guest on his blog, Mr. Bachchan was struck by the fact that Aparna still wore a mangalsutra. He said, “Aparna now is left all alone. She was not even aware that her husband had taken a loan. She has gathered herself together somehow, and works on the fields in farming and making ends meet. She still keeps her ‘mangalsutra’ on her neck — the necklace worn by Indian women signifying her married status, because she fears harassment from other men, who trouble her with threats and envious motives. But she is resolved. She does not want to give up. She will fight her way through she says, bring up her children, earn her living through the hard work on the fields, build a concrete house, for the present one is weak and old and made of mud and broken tiles and give half of what she earns to the other widows in India, who she says are suffering with similar conditions … just incredible !!”

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‘KBC’ Special on vidarbha farm widows- BigB expresses Anguish over Agrarian Crisis

2011-09-12T00:06:00.000-07:00

‘KBC’ Special on vidarbha farm widows- BigB expresses Anguish over Agrarian Crisis

Nagpur-12^th September 2011

It was dream for distressed and debt ridden vidarbha farmer widows and kin to sit on hot seat in the most TRP rated and viewed show ‘KBC’ hosted by megastar of Indian bollywood Amitabh Bachchancame true on last Saturday when special show was arranged to by KBC team to show plights of Indian farmers widows and kids and to give healing touch to these families facing starvation and poverty .Having seen plights of vidarbha farm widows Amitabh Bachchan was so disturbed that forced him write the it own his blog where he expressed his aguish and pain over gloom and despair of diseased families whose brae earner have committed suicide in agrarian crisis .

In India as per official record of ministry home affairs in last decade more than 2 lakh 24 thousand farmers committed suicide mostly due debt and cash crop failure in the dry rain fed area of India in which cotton growing belt Maharashtra known as west-vidarbha also popular as farm suicide capital of India as one farmer is committing at the rate of every eight hours since 2005 taking toll to more than 12000 and Indian Govt. has announced relief packages amounting Rs.10,000 crore but failed to address crisis to stop spiral of farm suicides that prompted KBC team to invited farm widows and deceased farmers daughter to participate in special show of KBC being aired in last week of September .

In special show of KBC farmers widows of village Arpana Malikar (09405493146)age-27 ,mother of two daughters age 7 and 3 whose husband Sanjay progressive cotton farmer of village Vara-Kawatha committed suicide due massive debt and crop failure and Manjusha Ambarwar (09552726952) age-18 whose father Ramdas Ambarwar who was first victim of vidarbha agrarian crisis and killed himself in 1999 from village Talang-Talki both from worst hit Yavatmal district which has recorded maximum suicides since 2005 were especially invited to take part in KBC show .

‘It was amazing to go to Mumbai by plane then to stay in five star hostel lastly to meet Amitabh Bachchan and take part in KBC ,till we are thinking it as dream ,this show will change my life and will save my daughters an daughter hundreds of farm widows of vidarbha region who are facing starvation and being exploited due to poverty .we are indebted to KBC and Amitabh Bachchan specially who was kind to us to listen our painful stories of ill-fated life and extended full hearted support to all my sisters whoare victim vidarbha agrarian crisis and lost bread earner ,we are very delighted with healing touch given by KBC and Amitabh Bachchan particular’ Arpana Malikar was talking to us after returning from Mumbai on Sunday afternoon in Nagpur.

‘Arpana Malikar was very nervous so as case with me when we saw mega show setup and when she went to hot seat ,she was very much scared to speak with Abhitabh Bachan and broke down when she was asked to recall the past and present struggle of life as she is brave woman farmer of village ,fighting with all odds, made all audience emotional even host was touched a lot ,she gave most of answers and won big price money too but it was most touch movement when Amitabh Bachchan gave us special Rs.50,000/- help and announced to help all other dying vidarbha farm widows too’ Manjusha Ambarwar informed who joined the show as special guest.

KBC host Amitabh Bachchan wrote on his Blog on vidarbha farmer suicide after shooting and I

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QUOTE

Jalsa , Mumbai Sept 10/11 , 2011 Sat/ Sun 2 : 10 AM

http://bigb.bigadda.com/?p=8498

Yes it is late … but having just finished my work at KBC and devoured a meal, have realized that time has indeed flown by and it is time that I should have been in bed. But … that is a hope. Nothing goes to sleep until the EF have been connected with and with whom is shared the thought for the day.

I am afraid there is not much that can be said after my time spent among the ‘bleeding hearts’ on this wonderful programme. Today was the episode played out to help and assist in any manner possible, those of our country that have had to face personal tragedy and are now in desperate state.

Tonight was the lady who’s husband a farmer in the Vidarbha region, committed suicide because he was unable to repay his loan. Suicides in this region have reached alarming proportions. There are so many of them that are resorting to this form of ending their lives because they are unable to repay their loans and are unable to find a remunerative medium in their business of farming to earn and pay off these amounts. They leave behind a family. They have taken the easy and cowardly way out. But they are gone and they have left behind a whole lot of people that now face the consequences of their absence.

Aparna, the lady who came by for the KBC contest as a special guest has two small daughters aged 7 and 3 and no support from any quarter. Her husband committed suicide to save the embarrassment of not being able to pay back his loan. Aparna now is left all alone. She was not even aware that her husband had taken a loan. She has gathered herself together somehow, and works on the fields in farming and making ends meet. She still keeps her ‘mangalsutra’ on her neck - the necklace worn by Indian women signifying her married status, because she fears harassment from other men, who trouble her with threats and envious motives. But she is resolved. She does not want to give up. She will fight her way through she says, bring up her children, earn her living through the hard work on the fields, build a concrete house, for the present one is weak and old and made of mud and broken tiles and give half of what she earns to the other widows in India, who she says are suffering with similar conditions … just incredible!!

She won Rs 6, 40,000 ! She will clear her loan of Rs 50,000 and shall perhaps repair her home and keep some money aside for the education of her two girls.

I did not have words to be able to express my anguish and grief at this state. But there it was Stark, brutal and honest.

More of this later . I fear I shall drop if I continued further so till then .

Amitabh Bachchan

========

UNQUOTE

Swapna Iyar Co-Producer of this special show toured agrarian crisis hit vidarbha and done excellent ground work for the programme to bring issue before society via -KBC. Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti farm activist group in the region provided basic input for the KBC show on vidarbha agrarian crisis.

‘Abhitabh Bachan has joined team of celebrities who are helping these thousand of dying vidarbha farmer widows v.i.z. Deepa Bhatia(09820303113), Sharmila Tagore, Amol Gupte ,Megasay Awardees P.sainath (09869212127), Adv.Amita Joseph (09811299989) of Business Community Foundation ,Ex-DGP Maharashtra Anami Roy(09870170000), Dr.Gopal Kondawar(09823402780) of Smile Foundation and Nitin Gadkari(09821080522) BJP chief, Kishore Tiwari of Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti added.

कापूस भाववाढीसाठी गाव तेथे उपोषण-विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समितीचे आंदोलन

2011-09-09T13:27:00.000-07:00

कापूस भाववाढीसाठी गाव तेथे उपोषण-विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समितीचे आंदोलन
स्रोत: तरुण भारत तारीख: 9/5/2011 10:02:38 PM
शहर प्रतिनिधी

यवतमाळ, ५ सप्टेंबर

कापसाचा हमीभाव ६ हजार रुपये क्किंटल करावा या पणन महासंघाच्या मागणीला विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समितीने पाठिंबा दिला आहे. सोबतच कापसाच्या भाववाढीसाठी सोमवार, १२ सप्टेंबरपासून ‘गाव तेथे उपोषण सत्याग्रह’ आंदोलन करण्याचा इशाराही दिला आहे. महाराष्ट्र राज्य कापूस पणन महासंघाने केंद्र सरकारला कापसाचा हमीभाव ६ हजार रुपये प्रति क्किंटल करावा व कापसाची निर्यात कायम खुली करावी, असा ठराव भारत सरकारकडे पाठवून कापूस उत्पादक शेतकर्‍यांना वाचविण्यासाठी अशाप्रकारचा निर्णय त्वरित घेणे आवश्यक असल्याचे म्हटले आहे. कापूस उत्पादक शेतकर्‍यांच्या हक्कासाठी लढणार्‍या विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समितीने पणन महासंघाच्या या दोन्ही मागण्यांचे समर्थन केले असून, कापसाचा हमीभाव ६ हजार रुपये प्रती क्किंटल व्हावा या मागणीसाठी ‘गाव तेथे उपोषण सत्याग्रह’ सुरू करण्याची घोषणा विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समितीचे नेते किशोर तिवारी यांनी केली आहे. विदर्भाच्या कापूस उत्पादक शेतकर्‍यांच्या वतीने पणन महासंघाचे अध्यक्ष डॉ. एन. पी. हिराणी यांनी पुढाकार घेऊन कापूस उत्पादक शेतकर्‍यांच्या हिताकरिता हमीभाव व निर्यात धोरणाच्या चुकीच्या निर्णयाने येत असलेल्या प्रचंड आर्थिक संकटाची कल्पना दिली असून, हमीभाव वाढविण्याची सखोल कारणे व निर्यात धोरणामुळे शेतकर्‍यांचे होत असलेले नुकसान सरकारसमोर मांडले आहे. याकरिता विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समितीने पणन महासंघाचे आभार मानले आहेत. मात्र, केंद्र सरकार हमीभाव व निर्यात धोरणाबद्दल उदासीन असून, यापूर्वी महाराष्ट्र कॉंग्रेस अध्यक्ष माणिकराव ठाकरे व समाज कल्याणमंत्र्यांनी स्वतंत्रपणे कॉंग्रेस अध्यक्ष सोनिया गांधी व पंतप्रधान मनमोहनसिंग यांच्याकडे कापसाचा हमीभाव ५ हजार रुपये प्रतिक्किंटल करावा, अशी मागणी केली होती. परंतु, केंद्र सरकारने दोन महिने लोटूनही या मागणीची दखल घेतली नाही. पणन महासंघाने आपल्या ठरावात सरकारच्या निर्यातबंदीमुळे मागील वर्षी शेतकर्‍यांचे ३० हजार कोटी रुपयांचे नुकसान झाल्याची कबुली दिली आहे. यावर्षी कापसावरील लागवडीचा खर्च एकरी २५ ते ३० हजार रुपये येत असताना कापसाचा हमीभाव ३ हजार ३०० रुपये ठेवणे म्हणजे कृषिमूल्य आयोगाने शेतकर्‍यांना आत्महत्येसाठी आमंत्रणच देणे होय, असेही किशोर तिवारी यांनी म्हटले आहे. मागील तीन वर्षांत शेतमजुरांची मजुरी, रासायनिक खते, कीटकनाशक आणि बीटी बियाण्यांच्या किंमती तिपटीने वाढल्या आहेत. या उलट कापसाचे उत्पादन व कापसाचा भाव स्थिर आहे. त्यामुळे शेतकरी हतबल झाले असून सरकारने कापूस उत्पादक शेतकर्‍यांना त्यांच्या घामाचे दाम द्यावे, अशी मागणी समितीने केली आहे.

7 farmers commit suicide in Vidarbha in last 3 days-Pradip Kumar Maitra, Hindustan Times

2011-09-08T08:33:00.000-07:00

Pradip Kumar Maitra, Hindustan Times

Email Author

Nagpur, September 08, 2011

First Published: 19:51 IST(8/9/2011)

Last Updated: 19:55 IST(8/9/2011)

7 farmers commit suicide in Vidarbha in last 3 days

The festive spirit and joy in the ongoing celebration of Ganesh festival seems to have dampened a bit.

Prayers for peace and prosperity to the presiding deity of Maharashtra notwithstanding, the vagaries of nature are aggravating the distress of Vidarbha’s farmers.

Seven more farmers committed suicide in Vidarbha in the last 72 hours.

According to reports reaching Nagpur on Thursday, among the victims, three were from Akola, two from Yavatmal and one each from Washim and Wardha districts. The deceased farmers were identified as: Samrat Pagare (64) of Palsod, Ramkrishna Navalkar (60), Alanda, Madhukar Shinde (58), Khandala (all from Akola district), Shivaji Kale (32), Shirdi (Washim), Shankar Bodhhole (33), Bandu Pinge (35), Adegaon, and Dhabaji Kale (55), Ganeshpur (both Yavatmal district).

The farmers were depressed because of damaging of crops following the incessant rains in the region over the past few days. Crop damage meant no income, which in turn, meant no money to repay loans borrowed from private moneylenders and banks.

"Apprehensive with the prospect of non-payment of loans and not getting fresh loans left these farmers thoroughly depressed. Apart from this, the resultant inability to sustain the family and failing to cope up with the needs of the family added to their fears," said Kishore Tiwari of Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti that has been documenting farmers’ suicide in the region.

With the deaths of these farmers, the toll has reached 16 this month while the figure was 48 last month.

Shravan Hardikar, the district collector of Yavatmal, admitted that two farmers committed suicide because of agrarian crisis. "We are concerned about such deaths. The banking institutions have disbursed around Rs 700 crore crop loans to needy farmers in this kharif season. Agrarian crisis apart there are socio-economic and personal reasons driving farmers to take such a drastic step," he said.

Tiwari said that the government should take the issue very seriously and provide food security to distressed farmers.

"It is a case of genocide. The state is allowing the distressed farmers to end their lives. We have time and again demanded that the marginal farmers and farm widows should be given facilities accorded to BPL families so that at least they can get the food security. This can only prevent further suicide in the region," he said.

Untimely rainfall, crops failure, expensive healthcare, and rise in agro-input costs to the lure latest consumer durables etc have led to the financial misery of the people.

The situation is so severe that an average two farmers commit suicide in the region every day.

Farmer suicides in VIdarbha region -- yearwise

2001: 52
2002: 104
2003: 148
2004: 447
2005: 445
2006: 1,448
2007: 1,246
2008: 1,268
2009: 916
2010: 748
2011 (Till September 8): 438

Impact of rain

Heavy rains over the last couple of days threw normal life completely out of gear in several districts of eastern Vidarbha.

The incessant rains have damaged crops, overflowing of nullahs and rivulets, cut off some parts of the region and caused loss of life. The rains claimed the life of a farmer in neighbouring Bhandara district.

The farmer, Bhagwan Dhande (40) of Seloti village, who was returning from his field, was swept away when he tried to cross a nullah on Wednesday evening.

Reports reaching here on Thursday said that over 60 per cent area of backward Gadchiroli district were cut off from rest of the country. The Shankarpur river is in spate.

The busy Wadsa-Kurkheda road has submerged under flood waters of the river cutting off northern Gadchiroli from rest of the country. Many low lying areas are water logged following heavy rains in Bhandara, Gondia, and Chandrapur districts.

Situation is worse in Arjuni Morgaon where 137 villagers from Pushpnagar were shifted to safer place. People were also moved to Zilla Parishad’s primary school at Keshori.

Villagers of Pushpnagar, Khodda and Wadegaon Bandya in Arjun Morgaon tehsil in Gondia district are surrounded by water from Gadvi river and an overflowing Itiadoh dam.

The water weir at Itiadoh dam is overflowing by 5 feet.

As per the preliminary reports, a number of houses and cattle sheds were damaged in different districts in the region due to incessant rains.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/743224.aspx

गरिबीला कंटाळून दाम्पत्याची आत्महत्या -लालफीतशाहीने घेतला ‘त्या’ दाम्पत्याचा बळी - शासनाच्या विविध योजनांपासून वंचित-लोकमत

2011-08-30T22:15:00.000-07:00

गरिबीला कंटाळून दाम्पत्याची आत्महत्या -लालफीतशाहीने घेतला ‘त्या’ दाम्पत्याचा बळी - शासनाच्या विविध योजनांपासून वंचित-लोकमत

Nagpur-30-08-2011
स्थानिक प्रोफेसर कॉलनीत झोपडीत राहणार्‍या एका दाम्पत्याने गरिबीला कंटाळून आत्महत्या केली. ही घटना आज सकाळी ६.३0 च्या सुमारास उघडकीस आली. ऐन तान्हा पोळ्याच्या दिवशी दाम्पत्याने केलेल्या आत्महत्येमुळे कॉलनीमध्ये शोककळा पसरली आहे.

मृत दाम्पत्याचे नाव राजेश नारायण डेरे (३२) व पत्नी पूनम (२६) असे आहे. हे दोघेही मोलमजुरी करून उदनिर्वाह करीत होते. घरात आठराविश्‍वे दारिदय़्र त्यात राजेशचे दारूचे व्यसन यामुळे नेहमीच पैशाची चणचण राहात होती. यावरून दोघांमध्ये नेहमीच वाद व्हायचे. अखेर या वादाचा शेवट दोघांच्या आत्महत्येने झाला. यात मात्र दीड वर्षाचा सूरज पोरका झाला.

प्रोफेसर कॉलनीत राजेशने मोठा भाऊ घनश्याम यांच्या घराच्या भिंतीच्या सहायाने झोपडी उभारली होती. दाम्पत्य मोलमजुरी करून प्रपंच चालवित होते. परंतु राजेशच्या दारूच्या व्यसनाने त्यांना आणखी दारिद्रय़ाच्या खाईत पाडले. यामुळे दोन्ही वेळेचे जेवणासाठी घरात धान्य व इतर साहित्य राहात नव्हते.

दीड वर्षाच्या तान्हुल्याला काय खायला द्यावे, असा प्रश्न पूनमला पडायचा. यावरून दोघात नेहमीच भांडण व्हायचे. परंतु व्यसनापासून राजेश स्वत:ची सुटका करू शकत नव्हता. दोघेही गरिबीला कंटाळले होते. राजेशला चार भाऊ आहेत परंतु राजेशकडे त्यांचे लक्ष नव्हते.

काल राजेश व पूनमने पोळा साजरा केला. रात्री जेवण झाल्यानंतर सूरजला घेऊन दोघेही झोपले. आज सकाळी ६.३0 वा. त्यांच्या घरी राजेशचे मामा प्रल्हाद गजरे हे राजेशला उठवायला गेले. त्यांनी दार ठोठावले असता प्रतिसाद मिळाला नाही. यामुळे त्यांनी घनश्यामला बोलविले. त्याने परिसरातील नागरिकांना गोळा केले. राजेशच्या झोपडीच्या टिनाचे दाराला त्यांनी धक्का दिला असता ते तोडले. आत तिघेही झोपले आढळले. परंतु राजेश व पूनमच्या तोंडातून फेस निघालेला त्यांना दिसला. त्यांनी दोघांना सावनेर ग्रामीण रुग्णालयात दाखल केले परंतु डॉक्टरांनी त्यांना मृत घोषित केले.

घटनास्थळी येऊन पोलिसांनी पंचनामा केला. पोलिसांनी अकस्मात मृत्यूची नोंद केली आहे. पुढील तपास पोलीस उपनिरीक्षक दामोधर राठोड करीत आहेत.

अत्यंत हालाखीचे जीवण जनणार्‍या कुटुंबाला शासनाच्या सवलती मिळत नाही. हे सावनेर येथील दाम्पत्याच्या आत्महत्येच्या घटनेवरुन उघडकीस येते. अठराविश्‍व दारिद्रय़ात जीवण जगनार्‍या अनेक कुटुंब शासनाच्या विविध योजनांपासून वंचित आहे. अनेकांना दारिद्रय़ रेषेखालील योजनेचाही लाभ मिळत नाही.

स्थानिक प्रोफेसर कॉलनीजवळील सटवामाता मंदिराजवळील रहिवासी दाम्पत्य राजेश डेरे व पत्नी पूनम झोपडीत राहत होते. भावाच्या घराच्या भिंतीच्या आधारावर झोपडी बांधली. सिमेंटच्या पत्र्याचे छत व टिनाच्या पत्राचा दरवाजा होता. ही झोपडी रात्रीला अंधार कोठडी असायची. नदीजवळ असल्याने साप व विंचूचा नेहमीच हैदोस असायचा. पाऊस पडल्यास या दाम्पत्याला संपूर्ण रात्र जागून काढावी लागत. अशा बिकट परिस्थितीत ते जगत होते. यात राजेशला दारुचे व्यसन. मजूरीचे सर्व पैसे व्यसनात खर्च व्हायचे. राजेशला तीन भाऊ व पाच बहिणी आहेत. सर्वांंची परिस्थिती बेताची आहे. ते हमाली व विट्टभट्टीवर मजूरी करतात. राजेशच्या वडिल नारायण चैताराम डेरे (६३) यांच्याकडे बीपीएलचे कॉर्ड होते. राजेशचा मोठा भाऊ घनशामने दारिद्रय़ रेषेखालील यादीमध्ये स्वत:चा समावेश करण्यासाठी अर्ज केला. यासाठी पैसेही खर्च केले. परंतु काहीही उपयोग झाला नाही, असे घनशामने सांगितले. राजेशनेही बीपीएल कॉर्ड साठी प्रयत्न केले, त्यालाही अपयशच मिळाले.

परिसरातील लोकांना विचारणा केली असता संजय गजरे यांनी अनेक जण खुपच बिकट परिस्थितीत जगत असल्याचे सांगितले. आश्‍चर्याची बाब म्हणजे शासकीय योजनांचा फायदा श्रीमंत लोक घेतात. परिसरातील नत्थू धनोरे, प्रितम गजरे, चंपालाल गजरे आदी गरीब कुटुंब शासनाच्या योजनांपासून वंचित आहे. योजनांचा लाभ मिळावा यासाठी गरीब लोक मजूरी सोडून तहसील कार्यालयात हेलपाट्या मारतात, परंतु पदरी निराशाच पडते.

Vidarbha farmers urged centre to consider Cotton Federation demand cotton MSP to Rs 6000 per quintal-VJAS

2011-08-29T22:34:00.000-07:00

Vidarbha farmers urged centre to consider Cotton Federation demand cotton MSP to Rs 6000 per quintal-VJAS

Nagpur: Aug 30, 2011

3 million cotton farmers of agrarian crisis hit farm suicide prone vidarbha has urged Indian Govt. to respond positively to the letter of the chairman of Maharashtra State Co-operative Cotton Growers Federation NP Hirani demanding immediate hike in MSP of cotton to Rs.6000 per quintal in order to stop on going cotton farmers suicides in the region as MSP declared CACP which @ Rs.3,300 per quintal is neither in line with increase in cost of cultivation of cotton nor the set norms of MSP calculation of CACP hence urgent revision in cotton MSP is must, Kishore Tiwari of Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti ,activist group fighting for right of cotton farmer of vidarbha region urged to centre in press release today.

Vidarbha cotton farmers has been asking centre two demands that Maharashtra State Co-operative Cotton Growers Federation passed as resolutions that hike in MSP to Rs 6000 per quintal and lifting of ban on cotton export by bringing it under open general license (OGL) scheme. In fact earlier MPCC president Manikrao Thakare also urged centre Govt. to raise MSP of cotton to Rs.6000 per quintal but his letter has been shown dustbin that is most unfortunate as farmer suicides in region has crossed 500 mark in year 2011 too, hence urgent solution to vidarbha agrarian crisis he must ,Tiwari added.

It is fact that the cost of seeds, fertilizers and insecticide had increased manifold. Labour charges are Rs 200-300 per head and the MSP in 2007-08 to Rs 3000 per quintal, which was revised in 2010-11 to the extent of Rs 300 after a gap of four years with unjust and irrational asking more and more farm suicides due to very heavy economic losses to cotton farmers. In fact wrong policies of state regarding imposition of export restriction last year created instability in the market and the price of Rs 60,000 per candy (a unit of measure) to Rs 35,000 per candy in the global market and Indian cotton farmers were forced to offload cotton ahs half price prevailing in the international market and this the intentionally done to protect handful textile industries hence we support the demand of cotton federation brining cotton under open general license (OGL) scheme.

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3 more farmers suicides on day Governor visit to Vidarbha as toll crosses 500 mark in 2011

2011-08-26T21:33:00.000-07:00

3 more farmers suicides on day Governor visit to Vidarbha as toll crosses 500 mark in 2011

Nagpur- Dated 27^th August 2011

3 more debt trapped vidarbha farmers suicides reported today as Governor of Maharashtra Shri. M Sankaranarayanan has started his visit to vidarbha

Taking toll the 17 since Anna Hazare has started his fast unto death which entered in to 12^th day demanding stringent and effective Anti graft law ,3 farmer killed themselves in day as per the reports are-

1.Bhojraj Navghade of Navegoan in Chandrapur

2,Dipak Nagare of Swakhed in Buldhana

3.Eknath piplashende of pathri in Yavatmal

Earlier since Anticorruption agitation started in last 10 days 14 farmers suicdes reported dye to distress and despair

4.Narendra Kandalkar of Pusala in Amaravati

5.Laxman Rajurkar of Matargoan in Buldhana

6.Gujab Thage of Jiroli inwardha

7.Bhimrao Nalavade of Krishannapur in Yavatmal

8.Janrao Chavan of Rasegoan in Amaravati

9.Sanddep Bagde of Asara in Amaravati

10.Gunvantrao Dshmukh of Manbha in Washim

11.Ramarathode of Watboti in Yavatmal

12.Kaniram Jadhav of Krishnanagar in Yavatmal

13.Pramod Gawande of Lotwada in Amaravati

14.Nitin Fale of Masa in Akola

15.Rajkumar Pakhan of Muradevi in Amaravati

16.Sheikh Anwar of Pangarkhed in Buldhana

17.Santosh Raut of Malegoan in Washim

taking toll to 31 in August and 501 in 2011, Kishore Tiwari of Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti informed in press release today.

‘Even vidarbha cotton farmers of farm suicide capital of India has supported Anna Agitation at all village level,we have been demanding stringent law to stop on mass genocide of innocent farmers who are victim of wrong policies of Indian Govt. supported by UPA and NDA both hence very accountable and effective ‘LOKPAL’ comes to the office there is no provision to economic corruption related to free trade , development of land market, privatization water, entry of GM Seed and GM food , takeover of agriculture ,retail and key service sector by MNCs where all decision are taken with heavy corruption and ill managed law makers and policy planers hence country needs stringent law to stop these malpractices which are depriving 90% population from basic needs like food ,shelter, health care, education and employment but this serious issue is completely ignored in Anna Agitation hence we have been urging Team Anna to in list demand of economic corruption at policy and permit level and millions of distressed debt trapped farmers suicides will continue ’Tiwari added.

‘in fact rural India’s 70% population of farmers ,tribal and land labors are real victims of massive economic corruption due to wrong policies of state .the well-established policies of giving subsidies, license and free trade ,globalization ,GM food and privatization of health care, education and rural employment are basic issues of corruption which are beyond scope individual base and policy base corruption hence Anna demand even it is conceded today will same fate that was of first lokpal bill 1969 hence present momentum and public unrest is right opportunity for civil society to uproot this US-UK-USSR BASE corrupt political rulers system to allow young generation to take over the power .India needs change and Anna’s civil movement can do it other wise bloody revolution will follow hence Team Anna should expand demand and get ready for long fight as common man is behind them,Tiwari added.

Even after 66 years of so called freedom 90% population is denied food, shelter, healthcare ,education and forced to die due to starvation ,despair and distress then there is need to change system and policies and year 2011 is set to have that change and Anna Hazare’s movement against graft is the beginning of that revolution and we urged all section to civil society to join the second freedom movement in order to save million of dying vidarbha farmers and tribal who are innocent victims of this post-independence hostile systematic political and administrative corruption , Kishore Tiwari said

“2,30,000 Indian farmers suicides in last decade is largest genocide in world history of mankind is result of on going corruption at high level that is resulting in wrong anti-poor and farmer policies and vidarbha is capital of that genocide hence our protest and support to anti-graft agitation is much more valid and legitimate hence to echo this mass genocide in all civil disobedience agitation we have been participating and extending support actively and this time too we are joining Team Anna for the same ”Tiwari added.

‘If Annaji can sacrifice life then why we should not spare come on the road to make ‘corruption free India’ ,we have decided that whole vidarbha agrarian community will join the agitation along with civil society to take issue to the final conclusion’ Mohan Jadhav of Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti informed.

‘Six Vidarbha Farmers suicides reported in last 48 hours -Anna Urged to raise farmers on Going Genocide in his Civil Movement

2011-08-25T03:04:00.000-07:00

‘Six Vidarbha Farmers suicides reported in last 48 hours -Anna Urged to raise farmers on Going Genocide in his Civil Movement

Nagpur- Dated 25^th August 2011

When all media and political along with billions of Indian are deeply concerned Anna Hazare fast unto death which entered in to 10^th day demanding stringent and effective Anti graft law ,the six more victims of India’s economic corruption at the policy reported from vidarbha farm suicide capital of India as six farmer suicide reported v.i.z.

1.Kaniram Jadhav of Krishnanagar in Yavatmal

2.Pramod Gawande of Lotwada in Amaravati

3.Nitin Fale of Masa in Akola

4.Purshottam Pakhan of Muradevi in Amaravati

5.Sheikh Anwar of Pangarkhed in Buldhana

6.Santosh Raut of Malegoan in Washim

in 48 hours taking toll to 24 in August and 495 in 2011, Kishore Tiwari of Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti informed in press release today.

‘in fact rural India’s 70% population of farmers ,tribal and land labors are real victims of massive economic corruption due to wrong policies of state .the well-established policies of giving subsidies, license and free trade ,globalization ,GM food and privatization of health care, education and rural employment are basic issues of corruption which are beyond scope individual base and policy base corruption hence Anna demand even it is conceded today will same fate that was of first lokpal bill 1069 hence present momentum and public unrest is right opportunity for civil society to uproot this US-UK-USSR BASE corrupt political rulers system to allow young generation to take over the power .India needs change and Anna’s civil movement can do it other wise bloody revolution will follow hence Team Anna should expand demand and get ready for long fight as common man is behind them,Tiwari added.

Tur rates slide but consumers still pay more for the dal-TIMES OF INDIA

2011-08-22T02:41:00.000-07:00

Tur rates slide but consumers still pay more for the dal

Shishir Arya, TNN | Aug 22, 2011, 04.48AM IST

NAGPUR: Consumers may still be shelling out as much Rs 70 a kg for tur dal which cost over Rs 100 two years ago. But, for farmers the crop continues to be a nightmare as they are getting hardly Rs 12 to 28 for a kg of tur whole (raw pulses). The huge gap indicates how the traders are profiting at the cost of the farmer and common man.

At the current level, the lowest grade of tur whole fetches a rate which is less than half of the minimum support price of Rs 3,000 per quintal (Rs 30 a kg) declared by the government. At the same time, in some market yards the rates have been capped at Rs 2,400.

Ironically, the MSP only remains in paper as procurement centres have not been set up at all, alleged farm activists.

The rates of tur whole have seen bouts of major declines after touching a peak of Rs 6,500 a quintal and that of tur dal - the edible form - scraping Rs 100 a kg mark. The major decline was seen in April this year when the commodity was priced between Rs 1800 to 3200, coming down from Rs 4,000-4,500 in December 2010. Now, when there has been a further decline, the retail prices have not still receded. "In fact, there was a marginal increase of Rs 2 in retail prices," said trade sources.

Even as the government has declared a MSP of Rs 3,000 a quintal, no procurement centres have been set up. "This has given a free hand to the private traders who for some time kept the rates above the level and brought it down to Rs 2800 soon," said Kishore Tiwari of the Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti (VJAS).

In Vidarbha, the National Agriculture Cooperative Marketing Federation had opened a center in June only for a single day. In some places it was on June 13 and June 17.

Myanmar, the major country from where India imports Tur, last week cut the export duty on the commodity from 7% to 2%. "This has brought down the landed price of the imported variety to almost Rs 2,800 a quintal and further reduced the demand for the indigenous crop," added Tiwari.

The rates are expected to improve by March next year only. The fresh crop arrives in December with which the rates will ease. "An improvement can only be expected by the Holi festival next year when the stocks would begin to decline," said Pratap Motwani, the secretary of the Wholesale Grain and Seeds Merchants Association.

Experts say that such a huge difference between raw tur sold in market yards and the tur dal available in retail outlets defies logic.

The overheads for processing one quintal of tur whole is around Rs 900 no matter what the quality is. With the peak rates of the pulses in raw form being pegged at Rs 2800, dal should not cost more than Rs 45 to Rs 50 a kg even after adding the transportation expenses and the traders' margin of profit. "But the current rates of Rs 70 are beyond any rationale. The inferior grades are available for Rs 50 and 60 a kg which should have been lower," said Tiwari.

Political parties supporting Anna to clear stand on ‘Jan Lokpal Bill’-VJAS

2011-08-18T22:19:00.000-07:00

Political parties supporting Anna to clear stand on ‘Jan Lokpal Bill’-VJAS

Nagpur- Dated 19th August 2011

“The creation of independent body to curb and control corruption in name of lokpal is pending before parliament since 1977 and depp rooted corruption in Indian political and administrative system has been preventing it’s formation and it was pressure of civil society and mass movement forced the UPA to introduce ‘Lokpal Bill’ which is toothless and another hoax is reason of on going Anti-graft crusader Anna Hazareji which has been receiving historic support from all section of society forced all position parties to support the agitation but their stand on the basic strigent conditions of Anna’s Lokpal bill is till not clear and even after Anna’s ‘Jan Lokpal Bill’ is taken for discussion it’s fate is likely to be the fate of women reservation bill hence it is necessary for all political parties who are supporting Anna agitation and trying hijack the same for it’s political advantage ,should clear it’s stand on all terms of dispute of Janlokpal bill with present draft of ‘Lokpal Bill’ presented in parliament and which before standing committee for further discussion other wise it will another betrayal with millions of peoples who are taking part in the agitation and wants to get rid with cancer of corruption hence this appeal” Kishore Tiwari of Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti informed in press release today.

The present political system which has legitimate the corruption at all level have rotten the society ,the political leaders are taking this profession of public source as earning tool and amazed crores of rupees through it same is the case with babus .this practice is part and parcel in most of parties and in last decade most leaders who are shouting more against corruption are deeply involved in the systematic corruption that is most unfortunate hence provision stringent punishment and it’s scope to probe all public servants ,all babus and elected representatives is area of concern where this ‘Janlokapal Bill’ likely to take years ti became law of the land hence we wants that atleast political parties who are supporting Anna today should come clean of these issues ’Tiwari added.

“UPA Govt.'s has been trying curb anti corruption movement and voice of framers and civil society by police force will receive very strong protest from vidarbha farmer who are the victims of on going corruption and misrule of state where the Govt. is protecting corrupt officers found guilty of misusing relief aid given under prime minister relief package hence our support to agitation much more legitimate as Vidarbha farmers are innocent victims on going misrule and this is a rare opportunity for us to show despair faced by us. Earlier too we supported Anna Hazare's fast and now we are supporting his second freedom struggle" Babetai Bais president vidarbha farm widows association (VFWA) informed in press release.

‘Massive corruption in relief packages to the tune of Rs.5000 crore is reason of continued farmers suicides in west vidarbha .serious allegations of corruption against senior minister and executives leveled in relief package graft but nothing has been happened even after CAG and PAC has given reports hence we want accountable and stringent Lokpal Act hence we are supporting Anna hazare’s cause and we appealed all responsible civil society to join the war against corruption’ Babetai Bais of vidarbha farm widows association(VFWA) added.

‘If Annaji can go to jail and do indefinite fast at the age of 73 then why we should not spare 8 days of life to stay in jail in order make ‘corruption free India’ ,we have decided that whole vidarbha agrarian community will join the agitation along with civil society to take issue to the final conclusion’ Mohan Jadhav of Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti informed.