Kishore Tiwari-PawarsahebCong-Ncp victory in Maharashtra is open invitation to masss genocide of vidarbha farmers
Nagpur-22nd October 2009
VJAS has termed Cong-Ncp victory and repeat in power in the Maharashtra assembly election as most unfortunate one “this is one of most gloomy day for the vidarbha distressed farmers who are dying due to wrong policies of state and on the victory in the election union agriculture minister sharad pawar promptly termed the so-called mandate as people sanction for the on going economic reform and policies of Indian Govt. in agriculture sector and this is clear single that in future million of distressed farmers will have to opt the same path suicide and this cong-Ncp Govt. return to the power is nothing but open invitation to that” ,Kishore Tiwari of Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti informed in press note today.
The result of is not reflecting true picture of agrarian unrest of the region as whole election is stage-managed and fraudulent .presently in vidarbha there is severe drought condition due to erratic and short fall rain in monsoon that has created serious problem of potable water ,food and fodder and rural vidarbha not single work of NREGA is being done till Govt. is claiming large successes of relief packages and loan waiver ,press note added.
“congress has contested this elction with ugly face of 7234 farm suicides in vidarbha since 2004 but opposition was on back foot to take advantage of voter’s unrest due to infighting among them and game plan of opposition vote division systematically sponsored by ruling party.
electoral process is Maharashtra has been is now stage-managed show as all main parties top leaders are in same basket more over they are now more industrialist-cum builder than so called public leader . top leaders in opposition wante the same Govt. to return to power so that their contracts for toll, power plant and SEZ are continued .it is happening at the cost of thousand of cotton farmers suicides and it’s matter of national shame” Kishore Tiwari added.
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VIDARBHA, INDIA–One month ago, cotton farmer Nagorao Gaute rose quietly from his bed mat at 6 a.m., whispered to his wife that he was going to the latrine, and slipped out of his tin-roofed hovel. He returned 10 minutes later, vomiting as he staggered through the door before he collapsed.
The 45-year-old man had drunk a bottle of insecticide and was dead within minutes, leaving behind his wife, Ukandabai, six children, and a debt of at least 25,000 rupees ($625), as much as he could hope to make in five good years of farming.
If there was a silver lining for Ukandabai, 35, it was that the state of Maharashtra, that includes the financial capital Mumbai, had identified farmer suicides as a worrisome trend and promised in 2007 to provide widows with compensation of 100,000 rupees.
Suicide is a growing problem across India. Rising stress due to competition in classrooms is pushing more students to take their own lives. On farms across India, poor crop returns and spiralling debt have led to tens of thousands of suicides in recent years.
But nowhere is the problem worse than the cotton-growing district of Vidarbha, widely considered to be India's suicide capital. About 2,050 farmers in Vidarbha have killed themselves this year alone, says Madan Yerawar, a cotton farmer who represents Vidarbha in Maharashta's legislative assembly.
Last year, 1,240 farmers committed suicide.
The reasons are simple, says Yerawar, a member of the Hindu nationalist BJP party. "Farmers are self-respecting and don't want to go to the banks and other moneylenders and say they can't pay."
Compounding the tragedy, advocacy groups say, the claims of Ukandabai and 230 other widows this year have been refused or ignored.
"Quite simply, the government's view is if they pay claims to everyone, it will lead to more farmers committing suicide," says Ram Kalaspurkar, who operates a cotton seed bank and lobbies the government to do more to help widows.
And indeed, there may be something to the theory.
Gaute's 65-year-old father killed himself last year and Gaute's mother was compensated. She received 30,000 rupees in cash. The other 70,000 was put into a trust account. His widow was allowed to withdraw a small portion each month.
A year on, Ukandabai says, she had a hunch her husband had been contemplating doing what his father had done. Three months ago, he borrowed from moneylenders – Ukandabai isn't sure how much – to pay for two of his daughters to get married. That was on top of cash he'd borrowed for seed and fertilizer. When the monsoon rains were slow in arriving this summer, it was clear his crops wouldn't produce enough for him to repay his debt.
"He kept talking about the financial crisis and how we weren't going to escape it," Ukandabai says, wincing. She applied for compensation for Gaute's suicide but still hasn't heard from the government.
The family remains in shock. Seven-year-old Shiravan hasn't mentioned his father since his death. Nor have any of his four daughters.
"There have been no questions from the children," says Gaute's brother, Shriram. "They understand that he's gone and isn't coming back. That's enough. The only question is when the compensation will come."
Anjana Vidya has been trying to get an answer for more than a year.
On July 31, 2008, her husband, Kavadu Vidya, killed himself by drinking pesticide after taking out a 150,000-rupee loan, which he used to buy seed, bury his mother and help pay for his sister's wedding.
After paying off part of her husband's debt last fall with the 30,000 rupees she received from the year's cotton crop, Anjana says she planted cotton and soy this year. Neither crop shows signs of a good return. Anjana says she'd like to pay off her husband's debt, and doesn't understand why the government has rebuffed her inquiries. "I just wish someone would help," she says.
A change in policy should make it easier for widows to get their compensation, Yerawar says. Until recently, if doctors found alcohol in the blood of suicide victims, their widows were ruled ineligible, The requirement has been dropped.
Some widows would prefer to sell their land and leave their farms. Trouble is, India's agricultural sector has fallen on hard times. Half the country this year is said to be affected by drought and few farmers are willing to buy more property.
Farmers say one problem is that the government is obsessed with its surging manufacturing and service industries and isn't investing in agriculture. Maharashtra this year will spend about $900 million of its $4.5 billion budget on agriculture, says Yerawar.
"In the 1970s, during the time of Indira Gandhi, this country had to import pig food from America to feed people," Kalaspurkar says. "Our farmers have made us self-sufficient. But now, it's a dying business no one cares about."
Yerawar says the district is divided over what's caused so many crops here to fail. While some farmers say drought is to blame, agricultural activists argue conditions began to deteriorate when genetically modified cotton, known here as Bt cotton, became popular. Bt is a more expensive seed and puts farmers into more debt if crops fail.
The reasons don't matter so much to Ukandabai.
"What am I going to do now?" she asks. "No one will lend me more money. My situation is hopeless."
“MSP for Cotton and Soyabean”- Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) rejected Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices(CACP) recommendations -VJAS
Nagpur- Dated-22nd august 2009,
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), which revised the MSP for kharif crops for the 2009-10 season on Thursday ,has rejected the recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) regarding the increase in MSP hike cotton, soyabean, jowar and groundnut-in-shell which has been worst hit by drought ,more than 8 million farmers of Maharashtra who have lost most of standing crop of cotton,soyabean and jawar has been shocked to here from central Govt. that are there was no increase in the minimum support price for jowar, bajra, maize, ragi, urad dal, groundnut-in-shell, soyabean, sunflower seed, nigerseed and cotton “ in fact in Maharashtra drought hit region vidarbha ,marathawada,khandesh and north Maharashtra 90% crop is cotton soyabean and jawar and yield is likely to come down to 50% according and cost of production has been almost double and these facts were told to the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) in detail and CACP recommended central Govt. to increase MSP of cotton and soyabean to Rs.3600 from Rs.3000 and Rs.1860 from Rs.1560 respectively but these recommendations have been rejected allowing drought hit distressed dying farmer to commit suicide, this is unfortunate decision hence we demand it’s review“ Kishor Tiwari Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti informed in press note today.
“UPA Govt. after the election year has completely ignored cotton and soyabean farmers of vidarbha who are in focus due to on going farm suicides and drought and the decision to keep MSP of cotton and soyabean unchanged even after the intervention of CACP is keep interest of cotton million owners soyabean extraction industries lobby alive as there was big demand of cotton traders and textile mill owners to reduce the MSP of cotton but Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) failed to do so ” Tiwari said.
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Opinion - Leader Page Articles
M.S. Swaminathan
There are reports in financial newspapers that the ongoing drought affecting nearly 200 districts in the country may not have much effect on GDP, since the farmers in the drought-affected areas contribute hardly 3 per cent to GDP. It is sad that such a measure of the impact of drought on the lives and livelihoods of millions of rural families is even considered. It is this mindset that is responsible for our country being the home of the largest number of poor and malnourished people in the world. P. Sainath’s article in The Hindu of August 15 brings out clearly the growing insensitivity to human suffering in our country. No wonder we are finding it difficult to achieve the first among the U.N. Millennium Development Goals – reducing hunger and poverty by half by 2015. Unless we realise that agriculture in India is not just a food-producing machine, but is the backbone of the livelihood of over 60 per cent of our population, rural deprivation and suffering will not only continue to persist, but will get worse, leading to severe social unrest. Fortunately, there are some encouraging developments which offer hope that drought management will be based on human values. First, our President in her address on the eve of the Independence Day urged the need for refraining from making profit out of poor peoples’ entitlements. This is a timely warning since thousands of crores of rupees will be spent during the coming weeks in drought relief. Unfortunately, disaster relief funds become an easy target for those to whom corruption is a way of life and hence it would be useful to provide copies of P. Sainath’s book, Everybody Loves a Good Drought (1996, Penguin), to all involved in taking the benefits of the drought relief programmes to rural families. Secondly, the Prime Minister in his Independence Day speech has rightly emphasised the need to help farmers in their hour of distress, so that they can help the country to produce as much food as possible under the prevailing meteorological conditions. He has announced that the repayment of loans taken from banks will be rescheduled. In this connection, it will be useful to find a long-term solution to the problems faced by farmers in rain-fed areas by adopting the recommendation of the National Commission on Farmers (NCF) that the repayment period for loans in drought-prone areas should be four to five years. This is particularly important, since we do not have an effective crop insurance policy for farmers in drought-prone areas. Thirdly, the Prime Minister has constituted a Crisis Management Committee under the leadership of Pranab Mukherjee, with membership includes the veteran leader Sharad Pawar. Mr. Mukherjee fortunately belongs to the rare group of leaders who are firmly rooted in the “we shall overcome” philosophy. I hope the Crisis Management Committee will not only look into the immediate problems and short-term solutions, but will also develop a medium- and long-term plan that can enable us to face the challenges of drought, flood, high temperature, and sea level rise, which in future will be the recurrent consequences of global warming and climate change. I wrote an article in The Hindu of July 13, 2009 on “Monsoon management in an era of climate change.” Since serious action involving a large financial outlay is now under discussion, I would like to lay out a road map on the action needed immediately and during the remaining period of the 11th Five Year Plan. Immediate Action With the help of State governments, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), and agricultural universities, the situation in each State may be classified into the following two categories. 1. Most Seriously Affected Areas (MSA): These are areas where the monsoon irregularity has multiple adverse effects on crops, farm animals and human food, and livelihood security. Also, hydropower generation is affected, leading to energy shortage. The power shortage, in turn, makes it difficult to give a crop life-saving irrigation, wherever opportunities for this exist. Apart from the relief operations normally undertaken, the urgent needs of MSA areas are: saving farm animals from distress sale through Farm Animal Camps near a water source or near a groundwater sanctuary (that is, a concealed aquifer which can be exploited during the emergency) and where animals can be fed with agricultural residues enriched with urea and molasses. Distress sale of farm animals is a clear index of extreme despair. A “Beyond the Drought Programme” should be organised. This should involve short duration crops like saathi maize (60 days maize), sweet potato, pulses, oilseeds, fodder crops, and other less water-requiring but high-value crops, according to scientifically prepared contingency plans. Another urgent need is the launch of “A Pond in Every Farm” movement. This can be done by permitting NREGA workers to build Jat Kunds in the farms of small and marginal farmers (see also Sainath, The Hindu, 15 August 2009). The revised NREGA guidelines permit this. At least five cents in every acre should be reserved for the construction of ponds to store rainwater. Where there is adequate ground water in MSA areas, subsidised electricity and diesel should be made available on a priority basis. Energy is the key limiting factor in taking advantage of ground water. 2. Most Favourable Areas (MFA) In every agro-ecological zone, the Most Favourable Areas (MFA) can be identified where there is enough moisture for a good crop. A compensatory production programme can be launched in such MFA farms by taking steps to increase the productivity of the crops already sown. This can be achieved by undertaking top-dressing with urea or other needed fertilizers, including micro-nutrients, with government support. Wherever there are opportunities for launching such compensatory production programmes because of adequate rainfall, the faculty and scholars of the agricultural university in the area can be requested to move from class rooms to farmers’ fields to help ensure the proper administration of the nutrient top–dressing programme. This will help to increase crop productivity significantly. Preparing for the Rabi season: Where two or more crops are taken normally, it is time to begin preparation for a good rabi crop by assembling the seeds, soil nutrients, and other agronomic inputs needed for timely sowing and good plant population. Late sowing of kharif crops should not be encouraged, since every week’s delay in the sowing of wheat reduces the yield by over fourquintals per hectare. Action during 2009-10: During the next few months, detailed drought, flood, and good weather codes should be prepared for every agro-climatic zone in the country. These codes should indicate the pro-active measures such as building Seed Banks of alternative crops needed for minimising the adverse impact of rainfall abnormalities. The Good Weather Code should provide guidelines for maximising the benefits of good soil moisture. Another step urgently needed is the identification and training of two members of every panchayat – one woman, one man – as Climate Risk Managers. It is best that they are identified by the Gram Sabha. The Climate Risk Managers can be trained in the science and art of managing uncertain rainfall patterns leading to drought or flood. They could also operate a Weather Information for All programme based on village level agro-met. stations. A mini agro-met. station can be built in every block with basic instruments to measure temperature, rainfall, wind speed, and relative humidity. The Climate Risk Managers can be trained in data collection and interpretation, so that the right decisions are taken at the right time and place. Such a technological upgrading of agricultural infrastructure will also help to attract youth in farming. Medium Term Action This could include the following: (a) Build a national grid of ultra-modern grain storage structures all over the country. To start with, at least 50 such storage facilities each capable of holding one million tonnes of food grains can be constructed, thereby making it clear that government intends to remain at the commanding heights of our food security system. (b) Promote through Gram Sabhas community food and water security systems. This should involve establishing at the village level seed, grain, and water banks. Seed banks will help to introduce alternative cropping strategies and contingency plans to suit different rainfall patterns. (c) Enlarge the food security basket by including a wide range of millets and grains like ragi in the public distribution system (PDS). Lessons from the Past In 1966, the country faced a serious drought. A serious famine was avoided, particularly in Today, the last component of the green revolution symphony is sadly lacking: over 40 per cent of the farmers interviewed by the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) said they wanted to quit farming, if there was another option. No further time should be lost in implementing the commitments made under the National Policy for Farmers presented in Parliament in November 2007 — if the desire of the Prime Minister that there should be another green revolution is to materialise. © Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu | |
Five
When Indian Prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh was addressing the nation on occasion 63 anniversary of Indian independence and was assuring the drought hit farmers that UPA Govt. is addressing the agrarian crisis due to dry spell and shortfall in the monsoon rain, at the same time in remote part of vidarbha and marathwada in maharashtra five farmers were killing themselves due sudden crop failure and acute distress due to huge debt .Names of the recent victims are
1,BHAKKAN JADHAV IN YAVATMAL
2.SAPNIL DHUMALE IN AMARAVATI
3.SAGAR INGOLE IN YAVATMAL
4.DEVIDAS SURYAWANSHI IN NANDED
5.VENKAT HARKAL IN PARBHANI
In fact in month of august more than 52 farmers in drought prone vidarbha and marthwada have committed suicide and new new area from where farm suicides have started reporting which matter of concern , Kishor Tiwari of Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti informed in press release today.
Earlier around 2 million hector soybean sowing damaged due to dry spell in last two days 3.2 million hector cotton crop has started showing sign of fatigue and failure as pest attack ahs joined by mealy bug destroying the standing crop in central India ,the economic impact of cotton failure in rain fed are is huge if there is no monsoon herein after as most of part of rural vidarbha and marathwada has not received rain after 20th July hence the panic and farm suicides are being reported.
Thousand villages and hundred women are doing prayer for early rain has such picture are common but rain god is not obliging the dying framers “now area where farmers has finally losing the hope of showers of rain ,there more deep distress is prevailing resulting mass farm suicides, hence we urging for healing touch from administration but it is not coming resulting more genocide in the region”Tiwari added.
As the total water in reservoirs of the major dams in the vidarbha is about 34 percent as ground water level ha sdroped down considebely there will not enough water for drinking water purpose hence VJAS has asked the administration to take step to protect dam water and henceforth should not be allowed for crop irrigation. VJAS urge officials to arrange fodder on a war-footing as demand is already coming for supplies from districts like Yavatmal,
farmers in the drought-prone Vidarbha region of Maharashtra welcomed the first showers of monsoon which were delayed and completed the sowing of cotton and soyabean but this dry spell coupled with pest attacks have now damaged more than 50% standing cash crop of the region which has added fuel in existing despair gloom in already distressed farmers hence we want urgent relief from central Govt. to dying vidarbha ,Tiwari added.
