IPS officers' wives turn samaritans to vidarbha farmers' widows

IPS officers' wives turn samaritans to vidarbha farmers' widows

IPS officers' wives turn samaritans to farmers' widows

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

--- UNI

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

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