Saturday, July 23, 2011
आश्रमशाळांचे स्थानांतरण, न्यायालयाची शासनाला नोटीस
| नागपूर, २२ जुलै/ प्रतिनिधी यवतमाळ जिल्ह्य़ातील दोन आदिवासी आश्रमशाळा राज्यात इतरत्र स्थानांतरित करण्याच्या निर्णयाला आव्हान देणाऱ्या याचिकेवर मुंबई उच्च न्यायालयाच्या नागपूर खंडपीठाने सरकारला दाखलपूर्व नोटीस जारी केली आहे. सामाजिक कार्यकर्ते किशोर तिवारी यांनी केलेल्या याचिकेनुसार, राज्यातील सर्वात जास्त आदिवासी लोकसंख्या विदर्भात आहे. मात्र यवतमाळ जिल्ह्य़ातील वणी व नेर येथील आश्रमशाळा सरकारने बंद केल्या.  त्यानंतर कुणी या आश्रमशाळा चालवण्यास तयार असल्यास त्यांना या दिल्या जातील, अशी जाहिरात आदिवासी विकास विभागाने प्रकाशित केली. त्यानुसार विदर्भातील अनेकांनीही जाहिरातीला प्रतिसाद दिला. परंतु सरकारने या आश्रमशाळा धुळे व नांदेड जिल्ह्य़ांमध्ये स्थानांतरित केल्या. सरकारच्या या निर्णयाला याचिकेत आव्हान देण्यात आले आहे.न्या. भूषण धर्माधिकारी व न्या. प्रमोद कोदे यांच्या खंडपीठासमोर या याचिका सुनावणीला आल्या असता, त्यांनी या याचिकेवर ३ आठवडय़ात उत्तर द्यावे अशी नोटीस आदिवासी विकास विभागाच्या सचिवांच्या नावे काढली. स्थानांतरित झालेल्या आश्रमशाळांना कुठलेही अनुदान देऊ नये, तसेच राज्यात यापुढे आश्रमशाळा स्थानांतरित करू नये असे निर्देश खंडपीठाने दिले. याचिकाकर्त्यांची बाजू अ‍ॅड. फिरदोस मिर्झा यांनी मांडली. |
Friday, July 8, 2011
''Maran''s cotton export policy resulted in 20 Thousand crore losses to billion Indian cotton farmers''
Nagpur – JULY 9 2011
An association of cotton farmers has accused former textiles minister Dayanidhi Maran of pursuing a wrong policy of clamping a ban on cotton exports that has hurt farmers.
The present cotton crisis in the country is a result of wrong policies enforced by the former textile minister to protect the interests of handful textile mill owners. It has denied best available price of cotton to farmers and resulted in losses of an estimated Rs 20,000 crore to farmers and local ginners and traders, Kishore Tiwari, president of Vidharbha Janandolan Samiti, said.
A complete ban on export from January to May this year has forced them to offload the cotton or cotton bales at half the price which was prevailing till March this year, he added.
The present cotton crisis in India is result of wrong policies enforced by ex-textile minister of India to protect interest on handful textile mill owners which has denied best available price of cotton to 1 billion cotton farmers of India and resulted in the total losses of more than Rs.20,000 crore to farmers and local ginners and traders as complete ban on export from January to may 2011 has forced to them to offload the cotton or cotton bales at the half price which was prevailing till march 2011 .all decision of putting stringent restrictions of cotton bales export even on cotton yarn and cotton waste was to favor textile mills and garment industries of south India who paid thousand crore as graft to then Textile Minister Dayanidhi Maran and there are documentary evidences of ill-intended decisions taken by textile ministry in last six months and we demand C.B.I. probe to this “Cotton Export Ban Scam” kishore tiwari of Vidarbha Janandoaln Samiti urged Indian Prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh to in letter today.
“In letter to Indian Prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh on 24th may 2011 ,vidarbha cotton farmers raised the demand of sack Textile Minister Dayanidhi Maran when textile minister was not responding to letters written by union agriculture minister ,union commerce minister, chief ministers Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra and Karnataka and delayed the decision of lifting cotton export limit from 55 lakhs bales to 65 lakhs bales as against demand of minimum 100 lakhs bales .we have strong case against the Ex-Textile Minister Dayanidhi Maran and ready to submit all proof of mega corruption to C.B.I. if PMO direct the CBI for the same .if PMO fails to take any action the we will move Mumbai high court Nagpur bench for relief ”Tiwari added.
Earlier VJAS wrote to PMO iN MAY-2011 requesting him to look in issue of cotton price sudden crash in India and reports more 300 farmers suicides in dying field of vidarbha which is result of unholy cartel of finger counting textile tycoon and Union Textile Minister Dayanithi Maran backed union home minister P.Chidambram which is responsible for present cotton rowers crisis in India ,farm activist group Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti VJAS allged and urged indaina prime minister to sack Union Textile Minister Dayanithi Maran to save more than 5 million dying cotton farmers of Maharashtra ,Kishore Tiwari added
“Cotton prices have increased from Rs 30000/candy in april 2010 to Rs 60000/candy April 2011 which is an increase of about Rs 70-75 per kg and immediately Spinners increased the price of yarn from rs 150/- per kg in April 2010 for 30s combed to Rs 230/- per kg in April 2011. increase of Rs 80 per kg which reflects in cotton value to Rs 30000/per candy minimum. Fabric weavers too have increased prices of grey fabric of 40 x 40 counts 124 x 64 with 200 gm per mtr which is quoted at about Rs 70/- per sqmtr as against Rs 38 in April 2010. There s an increase of Rs 32/mtr which is Rs 160/- per kg which in terms of candy is about Rs 58/60000 and present ban on export has brought back cotton prices to the level of April 2010 which is artificial an stage managed and Union Textile Minister Dayanithi Maran is directly involved in this scam ” Tiwari added.
‘As Cotton is an agricultural commodity and higher the prices farmers get, they will be encouraged to produce more and more of cotton and when Cotton production has grown from a low of 225 lac bales to 330 lac bales in last 5 years the undue protection to Local textile mills benefiting of buying Indian cotton at prices which are at least
lower by 30% as compared to its competitor in Bangladesh, Pakistan and other countries who buy from other growths which is reason behind the present restriction of cotton export and when Indian cotton after lot of hard work and promotion by exporters have found a very stable and regular market of its cotton in foreign countries and Govt should ensure that the markets created are not lost to competition due to faulty Govt policies.” It is alleged.
‘We need the urgent C.B.I. probe in all ill-managed decisions enforcing qunatitaive restriction on cotton bales.cotton yarns and cotton waste taken by Maran as textile minister and demand to lift all export restriction of cotton bales and yarn too so that farmers get higher price to cotton ‘’Tiwari urged.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Mihan's flight delayed by 10 years-TIMES OF INDIA
Printed from
Mihan's flight delayed by 10 years
NAGPUR: MADC is expecting some action soon at the special economic zone (SEZ) in Mihan cargo hub, however, some see it as flogging a dead horse.
The Mihan project being developed by MADC is divided into two parts - a SEZ and a cargo hub. The 1,400 hectare hub was planned with the view that Nagpur is in the country's centre, so it can emerge as a nodal point for cargo movement, especially by air. The 2,086 hectare SEZ is also based on this theory.
Voluntary organization Vidarbha Economic Development Council (VED) had mooted the idea of making Nagpur an air cargo hub in mid-1990s. It envisaged international flights from all directions, presently overflying Nagpur, landing here. The planes would redistribute cargo and fly back, with the air cargo hub supported by rail and road facilities.
However, it took a decade-and-a-half for the project to take off, and now even those in VED admit that the theory of aircraft overflying Nagpur landing here may no longer hold ground. The concept of a multi-modal cargo hub needs a change, they accept.
Over the last few years, MADC's focus has been on the SEZ and not the cargo hub, from which the name multi-modal international hub airport at Nagpur (MIHAN) was derived.
Devendra Parekh, president VED, says a lot has changed from when the project was conceived in 1997. The original theory could have worked those days, when short distance flights were used. With long-haul flights today, there is no need to land at a middle point like Nagpur.
A team of VED members had then visited Singapore to study a similar set-up, on which Mihan was conceived. Flying to Nagpur would have required less fuel, so more cargo could have been carried on planes, and then flown further in a different aircraft. With long haul flights in place, this may not be needed now, since direct flights are no longer a hassle, said Parekh.
Today, Mihan can be projected as an estate with ample land for industries to set up a unit. With industries facing land acquisition problems, like in Noida and Singur, Mihan still has a chance to come up as a road and rail terminal hub, he added.
However, the work on the rail and road terminal has been stopped by the company which had bagged the contract. It has been over a year since Nagpur Sical Gupta Logistics Limited stopped building the rail and road terminal. It backed out saying there was no assurance of any cargo being generated in Mihan. The company feared it will build the terminal and there would be no cargo to handle, leading to a dead investment.
Padmesh Gupta, a director with the company, said efforts are underway with the help of associations like VED and VIA to revive the project. Meetings have been planned with chief minister Prithviraj Chavan as well as BJP president Nitin Gadkari.
Meanwhile, Deccan 360, which had formally inaugurated its air cargo hub at Nagpur with much pomp two years ago, is yet to start it in a full-fledged manner. Deccan's cargo planes were supposed to land in Nagpur. However, the company continues to transport its cargo through other airlines operating from the city.
After Mihan Airport Limited (MIL), a joint venture of MADC and AAI, was formed, it was planned to redevelop the airport at a cost of Rs 63 crore. MIL is yet to get the money from the government, said a source. Finances have been a major constraint since the airport already has huge accumulated losses, they added.
All hope now rests on the strategic third partner that may be roped in for the project. Last month, Ernst and Young was appointed as consultant for advising the company in scouting for a partner. The new partner is expected to bring in the much needed equity for the venture.
UPS Madan, vice-chairman-cum-managing director of MADC, said after ensuring investors in SEZ start functioning, the focus would now be on the cargo hub. A decision may also be taken on Nagpur Sical Gupta Logistics, which has stopped work.
On roping in the third partner, Madan said no decision has been taken so far. "MADC will first go through the consultant's report and then decide its strategy on the partner. There is no immediate plan to review the entire concept of the cargo hub on the grounds that air cargo may now be outdated," he said.
Vilas Kale, former president of VED who was involved in conceiving Mihan, says that despite the changes in the type of aircraft the idea need not be given up yet. "Not all airlines have shifted to long-haul aircraft. Moreover, VED has also suggested that 50 acres of the SEZ should be de-notified to attract industries which may generate cargo. They need not be export oriented units," he added.
The Mihan project being developed by MADC is divided into two parts - a SEZ and a cargo hub. The 1,400 hectare hub was planned with the view that Nagpur is in the country's centre, so it can emerge as a nodal point for cargo movement, especially by air. The 2,086 hectare SEZ is also based on this theory.
Voluntary organization Vidarbha Economic Development Council (VED) had mooted the idea of making Nagpur an air cargo hub in mid-1990s. It envisaged international flights from all directions, presently overflying Nagpur, landing here. The planes would redistribute cargo and fly back, with the air cargo hub supported by rail and road facilities.
However, it took a decade-and-a-half for the project to take off, and now even those in VED admit that the theory of aircraft overflying Nagpur landing here may no longer hold ground. The concept of a multi-modal cargo hub needs a change, they accept.
Over the last few years, MADC's focus has been on the SEZ and not the cargo hub, from which the name multi-modal international hub airport at Nagpur (MIHAN) was derived.
Devendra Parekh, president VED, says a lot has changed from when the project was conceived in 1997. The original theory could have worked those days, when short distance flights were used. With long-haul flights today, there is no need to land at a middle point like Nagpur.
A team of VED members had then visited Singapore to study a similar set-up, on which Mihan was conceived. Flying to Nagpur would have required less fuel, so more cargo could have been carried on planes, and then flown further in a different aircraft. With long haul flights in place, this may not be needed now, since direct flights are no longer a hassle, said Parekh.
Today, Mihan can be projected as an estate with ample land for industries to set up a unit. With industries facing land acquisition problems, like in Noida and Singur, Mihan still has a chance to come up as a road and rail terminal hub, he added.
However, the work on the rail and road terminal has been stopped by the company which had bagged the contract. It has been over a year since Nagpur Sical Gupta Logistics Limited stopped building the rail and road terminal. It backed out saying there was no assurance of any cargo being generated in Mihan. The company feared it will build the terminal and there would be no cargo to handle, leading to a dead investment.
Padmesh Gupta, a director with the company, said efforts are underway with the help of associations like VED and VIA to revive the project. Meetings have been planned with chief minister Prithviraj Chavan as well as BJP president Nitin Gadkari.
Meanwhile, Deccan 360, which had formally inaugurated its air cargo hub at Nagpur with much pomp two years ago, is yet to start it in a full-fledged manner. Deccan's cargo planes were supposed to land in Nagpur. However, the company continues to transport its cargo through other airlines operating from the city.
After Mihan Airport Limited (MIL), a joint venture of MADC and AAI, was formed, it was planned to redevelop the airport at a cost of Rs 63 crore. MIL is yet to get the money from the government, said a source. Finances have been a major constraint since the airport already has huge accumulated losses, they added.
All hope now rests on the strategic third partner that may be roped in for the project. Last month, Ernst and Young was appointed as consultant for advising the company in scouting for a partner. The new partner is expected to bring in the much needed equity for the venture.
UPS Madan, vice-chairman-cum-managing director of MADC, said after ensuring investors in SEZ start functioning, the focus would now be on the cargo hub. A decision may also be taken on Nagpur Sical Gupta Logistics, which has stopped work.
On roping in the third partner, Madan said no decision has been taken so far. "MADC will first go through the consultant's report and then decide its strategy on the partner. There is no immediate plan to review the entire concept of the cargo hub on the grounds that air cargo may now be outdated," he said.
Vilas Kale, former president of VED who was involved in conceiving Mihan, says that despite the changes in the type of aircraft the idea need not be given up yet. "Not all airlines have shifted to long-haul aircraft. Moreover, VED has also suggested that 50 acres of the SEZ should be de-notified to attract industries which may generate cargo. They need not be export oriented units," he added.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
In debt-ridden Vidarbha, a battle brews-INDIAN EXPRESS
In debt-ridden Vidarbha, a battle brews
Vivek Deshpande Posted online: Sun Jun 19 2011, 03:44 hrs
Nagpur : A strong anti-liquor c
ampaign is brewing in rural Vidarbha, with women leading from the front. Sizeable women’s rallies at many places, a stubborn response by the liquor lobby, and the murder of a woman activist have combined to make this one heady campaign.
Putting their weight behind this agitation are Vidarbha’s farm activists who now agree that liquor is one of the main distress-causing factors in the region.
Paromita Goswami, a social activist running Shramik Elgar, an NGO at Mul in Vidarbha’s Chandrapur district, has been fighting a low-intensity battle against liquor in Chandrapur’s villages for the past 10 years. “We work among rural women who have to bear the brunt of their husbands’ liquor addiction. Liquor has ravaged the villages socially and financially. We have known instances of school kids being addicted too. We have managed to get liquor vends shut through
women’s power. But isolated efforts are not so effective and we have increasingly felt the
need to turn this into a mass movement by women,” she says.
Goswami has been joined by leading farm activist Kishore Tiwari, whose Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti has been fighting for farmers’ rights. “People tend to go to extremities in distress and liquor takes its toll in these circumstances,” he says.
Tiwari cites a report by Yavatmal Collector Sanjay Deshmukh who says liquor consumption in the district has grown exponentially in the last five years.
According to official statistics, consumption of liquor in Yavatmal district, the most suicide-prone district in Vidarbha, has increased from over 8 lakh litres in 2005-6 to about 15 lakh litres in 2010-11. Of this, the sale of country liquor has increased from 6 lakh litres to 10 lakh litres.
Incidentally, the last five years were when the government poured in crores of rupees into Vidarbha’s agrarian belt, gave fresh loans to farmers and waived off their debts.
Two years ago, even the mention of liquor being one of the reasons for farm distress would invite huge backlash. Health activist Abhay Bang had been criticised when he said all efforts at helping farmers would be in vain if the problem of liquor addiction wasn’t solved. Bang, who has fought many battles against liquor in Gadchiroli, is a member of a committee set up recently by the state government to suggest ways to tackle the issue.
“Chandrapur district consumed 1.56 crore litres in 2010, which is next only to Mumbai in population-consumption ratio. Who is paying the price for it? Women and children. Liquor is a very potent means of exploitation in villages with inebriated and debt-ridden farmers getting alienated from their lands. Often, farm hands are paid in liquor instead of wages,” says Goswami.
At Golewadi village in Bhandara district of the region, 40-year old Meenakshi Dahiwale was choked to death by Sumitra Madavi, an illicit-liquor brewer, about two months ago when she had gone along with a women’s delegation to raid the shop.
“All the surrounding villages have enforced prohibition. A lot of young boys, too, had got hooked on to liquor. So, we had decided to force a ban. Most of brewers in our village fell in line, but Sumitra and her husband Sanjay Vaidya won’t give up,” says Golewadi Bachat Gat president Manjira Dahiwale.
The liquor lobby is fighting back. The Chandrapur District Liquor Association took out a huge rally of over 12,000 people in the city, opposing the demand for prohibition in Chandrapur. “We included all liquor shop owners, their employees, families and others who run small eateries near liquor shops. What we are saying is, don’t single out Chandrapur, ban liquor in the entire state,” says Deepak Jaiswal, NCP city unit president and leader of the rally. Himself a liquor trader, Jaiswal argues, “Chandrapur is the most industrialised district in Vidarbha. Also, there is tiger tourism here. If people in Mumbai and Pune can have liquor, why not those in Chandrapur? And where would all these people whose lives are dependent on the business go?”
Tiwari says, “Politicians have a vested interest as many of them are in the alcohol business. So, they will always support it. But I agree that the ban should be not in isolated places. I feel we can start by banning it in the six most suicide-prone, farm-crisis districts of west Vidarbha.”
Bang suggests a multi-pronged approach. “We need to run different long-term programmes simultaneously. Along with reducing the availability and production of liquor, we also need to initiate serious efforts of preventive education against its ill-effects,” he says.
NCP leader Jaiswal points out that even if liquor is banned, tribals, who traditionally brew and consume liquor at home, will continue to do so. Goswami counters this and says, “It’s a wrong perception. Tribals used to have it only during special occasions. In the changed socio-economic situation, it has affected them too.”
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Confederation of Indian Textile Industry is misleading farmers -merinews reports
 |
| |||||
| Confederation of Indian Textile Industry is misleading farmers - VJAS | |||||
| Wed, Jun 01, 2011 09:48:10 IST | |||||
| “CITI STATEMENT is misleading and baseless when Indian regulatory authorities have confirmed that there is surplus stock of at least 50 lakhs bales and textile ministry has given it’s nod to the demand of agriculture and commerce ministry demand of additional permission of 15 lakhs bales in order to protect the financial interest of Indian cotton farmers who are committing suicides as prices of cotton have been slashed to 50 per cent in a month where as uncertainties and unjust quantitative restriction has always allowed the textile cartel to get cheaper cotton by 30 per cent. This is part of the textile lobby to get cotton export curtailed so that they can exploit the situation. It’s unfortunate that textile minister is playing on direction of this textile cartel that has ruined around one billion cotton farmers to the tune of Rs. 20,000 crore and losses are likely to be more if Indian government function with anti farmer policies,” Tiwari added. “CITI has managed the Indian Textile minister initially to restrict cotton bales export to 55 lakhs bales from earlier year 84 lakh bales even when country cotton production is higher by another 25 lakhs bales then ban export of cotton yarn and now surprisingly as per Quota Policy of Cotton items now added Cotton Waste (Comber Noil) H. S. Code No. 5202 as Cotton Waste is a ‘By-product’ of Cotton Yarn. When plenty of quota of Cotton Yarn lying unutilized the hostile functioning of Union Textile Minister Dayanithi Maran has a allaowed textile cartel to include the by-product banned,” said Tiwari. “CITI is keeping salient of the fact that cotton prices have increased from Rs 30000/candy in April 2010 to Rs 60000/candy April 2011. This is an increase of about Rs 70-75 per kg. And immediately spinners increased the price of yarn from rs 150/- per kg in April 2010 for 30s combed to Rs 230/- per kg in April 2011. increase of Rs 80 per kg which reflects in cotton value to Rs 30000/per candy minimum. Fabric weavers too have increased prices of grey fabric of 40 x 40 counts 124 x 64 with 200 gm per mtr which is quoted at about Rs 70/- per sqmtr as against Rs 38 in April 2010. There s an increase of Rs 32/mtr which is Rs 160/- per kg which in terms of candy is about Rs 58/60000 and present ban on export has brought back cotton prices to the level of April 2010 which is artificial an stage managed and Union Textile Minister Dayanithi Maran is directly involved in this scam,” Tiwari added. "CITI should admit that Cotton production has grown from a low of 225 lac bales to 330 lac bales in last 5 years the undue protection to Local textile mills benefiting of buying Indian cotton at prices which are at least lower by 30% as compared to its competitor in Bangladesh, Pakistan and other countries who buy from other growths which is reason behind the present restriction of cotton export and when Indian cotton after lot of hard work and promotion by exporters have found a very stable and regular market of its cotton in foreign countries and Govt. should ensure that the markets created are not lost to competition due to faulty Govt. policies to protect handful textile mill owners .” It is alleged. "We need the urgent central intervention and demand to lift all export restriction of cotton bales and yarn too so that farmers get higher price to cotton," Tiwari urged. |
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
VJAS demands white paper on irrigation schemes-TIMES OF INDIA
VJAS demands white paper on irrigation schemes
NAGPUR: Farmers rights organization Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti, while welcoming the state Congress' decision to hold a water convention (Paani Parishad) at the farm suicide epicentre of Yavatmal on Thursday, demanded that chief minister Prithviraj Chavan should come clean on the alleged misuse of funds in the PM's relief package.
"Chavan should come out with a white paper on the alleged corruption in implementation of the PM's special relief package that had allocated a major chunk for enhancing irrigation facilities in drylands of Vidarbha," said Kishore Tiwari of VJAS. "Crores of rupees meant for irrigation works were siphoned off. To add insult to injury, the ruling partner NCP now wants special allocation of water to private power plants which are coming up in large number in Vidarbha," said Tiwari.
"We will request the chief minister to refer the matter to the Centre for a CBI probe as serious charges of corruption in irrigation works were levelled by legislature's public accounts committee (PAC) as well as the CAG. It is alleged that advance payment under Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme was made by the VIDC (Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation).
"We are thankful to MPCC president Manikrao Thakre for organizing the convention as it will provide dais to the dying cotton farmers of Vidarbha to raise issues related to hostile functioning and failure of administration in increasing irrigation facilities in western Vidarbha since 2006 when the PM package was announced for six districts," said Tiwari.
VJAS has also supported the MPCC president's contention that there was no need for mushrooming of power plants in Vidarbha when already plants expected to generate 19,000MW are nearing completion. "The state should not allow robbery of water by some 60 private power plants that are eying cheap land and water in Vidarbha. Instead, the state should ensure optimum use of funds being allocated from the budget by the governor for removing irrigation backlog and benefiting farmers," said Tiwari.
=================================
=================================
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
