Four more Vidarbha farmers commit suicide-Hindustan Times

Four more Vidarbha farmers commit suicide

Pradip Kumar Maitra pradipmaitra@hindustantimes.com

Agrarian crisis continued to be the cause of farm- ers' suicide in Vidarbha with four more taking the extreme step in the last 48 hours in the region.

The victims, each belonging to Buldhana, Yavatmal, Washim and Akola, ended their lives by swallowing pesticide. They deceased have been identified as: Dadarao Hirpurkar (43) of Shindi village in Akola, Nilesh Kolhe (27), Kamargaon (Washim), Shankar Mangam of Telapur (Yavatmal) and Vilas Bhonde (35) of Masla in Buldhana district.

Kishore Tiwari of Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti claimed that as many as 28 farmers from the region killed themselves this month while the figure was 59 last month.

Tiwari said that a sizeable number of farmers are unable to face the burden of mounting debts from banks as well from private moneylenders. The farmers are unable to repay the amount this season because of crop failure.

“Farmers are thoroughly depressed that whether they would get fresh loans in the coming season being default- ers,“ he said and expressed apprehension that such a debt burden may drive more farm- ers to take drastic steps.

He demanded that the gov- ernment should make it clear that farmers would be given fresh loans and other help who are facing crisis because of crop failure.

“The government should also come out with food security package for the distressed farm- ers,“ he added.

Talking to Hindustan Times, Sanjay Deshmukh, district col- lector of Yavatmal, admitted that farmers' suicide figure in the district is more higher than the figure of last year. “We are taking all necessary measures to minimise farm suicide,“ Tiwari said.

State facing worst economic crisis, claim activists-HITAVADA

The oldest and largest circulated English news daily in Central India.
Published simultaneously from Nagpur, Jabalpur & Raipur ESTD : 1911

March 16th, 2010
City

State facing worst economic crisis, claim activists

Mar. 16th, 2010
by Staff Reporter
http://news.hitavadaonline.com/news/index.php?mode=single&page=10&n=27839

As the Democratic Front (DF) Government is set to present Economic Survey and annual budget after two weeks, activists have raised serious questions over the claim of Government about financial prosperity and industrial development. According to official records, the state is reeling under debt of mind boggling Rs 2 lakh crore and has witnessed 46 per cent drop in food production. Going by the dismal figures, Maharashtra is passing through its worst ever economic crisis during its Golden Jubilee Year.

During last economic survey the DF Government has admitted that state had lost 2 million jobs in the year 2008-2009, food grain production dropped by 25% before drought was declared, outstanding debt mounting to Rs.1,58,520 crore, interest payment on debt is Rs. 12,953 crore, 30% drop in employment provided under National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), poverty ratio in the State is 30.7 per cent as against All-India average of 27.5 percent and more than 6000 farm suicides and deaths in tribal pockets due to malnutrition and starvation, the Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti President Kishor Tiwari stated. The rosy picture of massive job creation and investments in infrastructure, increase in food crop production, reduction in the debt and providing basic facilities to poor like food, shelter, health, education and rural employment, industrial growth, faded into thin air. Due to drought situation in 20,000 villages, food production is likely to drop below 102 lakh MT for the first time in history of Maharashtra. Tiwari also questioned the figures of industrial investment to the tune of Rs. 5,04,689 crore with 27.54 lakh jobs and claimed in reality nothing happened. Regarding power sector growth, the VJAS pointed out neither generation was improved no transmission losses were controlled. Quoting last economic survey, VJAS pointed out its major high light was Multi-modal International Hub Airport at Nagpur (MIHAN) with lot of growth potential, but even after a long wait, MIHAN is turning out to be a hoax and has failed to give a single job to skilled or unskilled worker of the region, Tiwari stated. The VJAS also slammed the DF for fiscal imprudence and for its failure to cub non-plan expenditure and to undertake development schemes. The food grains production for kharif and rabi season in the State is estimated to be 117.19 lakh M.T. as a preliminary forecast, less by 24 per cent compared to that of the previous year. A steep fall of 49 per cent is expected in production of oilseeds. Sugarcane production is also expected to be much lower by 43 per cent (at 508.13 lakh M.T.) mainly due to reduction of 30 percent in the harvested area. The estimated employment in the State, based on National Sample Survey, which was on rise till 2004-05 at 4.3 crore, declined to 4.1 crore in 2007-08 clearly indicating the footprints of recession. The employment provided under National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) during 2008-09 was 4.2 crore person days as against 6.0 crore person days provided under Employment Guarantee Scheme (EGS) and NREGS during 2007-08.The poverty estimate provided by the Planning Commission of India, reveal that the poverty ratio in the State during 2004-05 is 30.7 per cent as against All-India average of 27.5 percent. Though the results at various points of time show decline in poverty ratios, the number of persons living below poverty line is gradually increasing since 1973-74 and increased by 12.2 lakh persons in 2004-05 as compared to 1993-94. Tiwari has urged Centre to review economic crisis in Maharashtra due to uncontrolled plan and unplanned expenses of state Government and warned that people of Maharashtra will have to pay cost of political misdeed in future, more hardship are in pipeline if corrective steps are not taken today.

Bt cotton has failed admits Monsanto-INDIA TODAY

Bt cotton has failed admits Monsanto

Dinesh C. Sharma

New Delhi, March 6, 2010 http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/86939/India/Bt+cotton+has+failed+admits+Monsanto.html The ongoing debate on biotechnology crops in India took a new turn on Friday when American seed firm Monsanto disclosed that cotton pest--pink bollworm--has developed resistance to its much-touted Bt cotton variety in Gujarat. The company has reported to the regulator, the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC), that pink bollworm has developed resistance to its genetically modified (GM) cotton variety, Bollgard I, in Amreli, Bhavnagar, Junagarh and Rajkot districts in Gujarat. This was detected by the company during field monitoring in the 2009 cotton season. The Bt cotton variety in question was developed using a gene--Cry1AC--derived from soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis. It was supposed to be resistant to pest attacks. But, of late, the pest has developed resistance to the gene. The same gene has been used in Bt brinjal to make it resistant to pests. Bollgard cotton was cited as a great success of GM technology by Union science minister Prithviraj Chavan in his July 2009 letter to former health minister A. Ramadoss. "Resistance is natural and expected," Monsanto said in a statement. The company blamed pink bollworm resistance to Cry1Ac protein in Gujarat to "early use of unapproved Bt cotton seeds" by farmers and "limited refuge planting". Farmers are supposed to maintain a distance between Bt cotton farms and other farms as a "refuge". It also advised farmers to take up "need-based application of insecticide sprays" and "properly manage crop residue and unopened bolls after harvest". A second generation variety, Bollgard II, introduced by Monsanto in 2006, contains two proteins, Cry1Ac and Cry2Ab. The company says no resistance has been observed in the variety anywhere in the country, including Gujarat. The revelation has not surprised environment action groups. "This is the pattern Monsanto has been following everywhere. Once Bollgard 1 fails, they start pushing Bollgard 2 and tell farmers to apply more pesticides. This is a vicious circle that Indian cotton farmers have got into," Devinder Sharma of Forum for Biotechnology and Food Safety said. "There is a lesson here for Bt brinjal because the arguments in favour of the crop are same as those given for Bollgard cotton," Kavita Kuruganti of Kheti Virasat said. In a report submitted to environment minister Jairam Ramesh, K.R. Kranthi of the Central Institute for Cotton Research had cautioned about the likely failure of Bt cotton. "Farmers are not following the recommended 'refugia'. With about 90 per cent area under Bt cotton, bollworms can develop resistance soon. The concern needs to be addressed on priority before it is too late," the report says. Not only has Bt cotton been rendered ineffective, it has also led to detection of some new pests never before reported from India. It is toxic only to bollworm and does not control any other pests of cotton. "New sucking pests have emerged as major pests causing significant economic losses", the report says. At the same time, productivity of cotton has fallen from 560 kg lint per hectare in 2007 to 512 kg lint per hectare in 2009. And pesticide expenditure has gone up from from Rs 597 crore in 2002 to Rs 791 crore in 2009.

Draft food security bill is hoax-Times of India

Draft food security bill may irk Sonia, states, SC

Govt Version Diverges From Cong Chief’s Vision

Nitin Sethi | TNN

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOIPU/2010/03/01&PageLabel=1&EntityId=Ar00103&ViewMode=HTML&GZ=T

Different Takes

* Centre to have final say on BPL numbers, quantum of foodgrain.
States have distributed 10cr BPL cards; Centre’s estimate is 6.5cr
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** No mention of price of subsidized foodgrain, hinting Centre wants to keep option of higher price open.
Cong manifesto had said ration would be available at Rs 3/kg
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*** Bill seeks to wind up Antyodaya scheme, limit guarantee to 25kg.
SC wanted govt to widen scheme and increase PDS quota to 35kg
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New Delhi: The government has readied the draft of its promised Food Security Act but the bare provisions appear to fall short of the pledge on many counts. It could not only trigger a faceoff with the states but also cause heartburn to the Supreme Court and displease Congress chief Sonia Gandhi who had prepared a draft and sent it to the Prime Minister’s Office last June.
The Bill is a result of a promise in the Congress’s election manifesto — of a law guaranteeing nutritional security for all. But the draft, prepared by the food ministry headed by Sharad Pawar, runs short of how it was visualized by Sonia Gandhi.
The draft Bill proposes that the Centre will have the final word on both the number of people in each state living below the poverty line, based on planning commission estimates, and also on the quantum of foodgrains that is to be given to the vulnerable section. This quantum has been fixed in the draft at 25kg per month, against an earlier Supreme Court directive of 35kg. And on both these counts, it is likely to attract the opposition of the states. While the states have already distributed more than 10 crore BPL cards, the Centre’s estimate of BPL families is way smaller, at 6.52 crore. Even today, the Centre distributes foodgrains under the PDS in proportion to the figure the Planning Commission generates and not what states decide by survey along with the rural development ministry.
In an earlier round of discussion with the Union food ministry, many states had taken serious objection to the Centre imposing an artificial cut-off and leaving a hefty bill to the states to bear if they decide to pass on the benefits to all the poor. But the food ministry appears to have stuck to its guns and decided not to let the control out of its hands as it would help keep the fiscal burden in check. The government also wants to maintain some flexibility on the price of subsidized foodgrain. While the Congress had said in its manifesto that the ration would be available at Rs 3/kg, the ministry is inclined not to mention an exact price so as give it the option of providing subsidized foodgrains at a higher price.
The Bill is also at odds with the Supreme Court’s directive to the government to create and widen the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), which was meant to provide subsidized food to the destitute, primitive tribes, disabled and old and increase the quota for families under the existing PDS scheme to 35kg of foodgrains per month. The Bill, however, wants to wind up the AAY scheme and keep its guarantee to 25kg.
As for the discrepancy between the Centre’s and the states’ estimate of the poor, the food ministry wants the states to bear the cost of providing food security to numbers beyond the central estimate — something that’s unlikely to pass muster with the states.
The ministry has also decided that when it comes to guaranteeing food security through various schemes, including PDS, the buck will stop with the state government. The Centre would be responsible only for procuring foodgrains, importing and maintaining stocks and providing financial compensation if it is not able to secure the supplies to states.
The bill, unlike what the Congress president had suggested in her note, limits itself to distribution of wheat and rice and does not take a wider view of nutritional security. In fact, the ministry has decided to define food security in a manner that would exclude any judiciable right to nutrition. Critics observe that the government is keen to limit its legal guarantee to merely distribution of foodgrains as it would reduce the legal entanglements over cases of chronic starvation.
The empowered group of ministers (eGOM) has also decided, unlike what the Congress president had suggested in her note, that the regular administrative officials at different levels in a district will also take over the role of appellate authorities. Sonia Gandhi had suggested that a distinct appellate system of food commissioners be appointed at state levels with powers to appoint advisors at district level as well as carry out investigations into infringement of the act.
Unlike the detailed legislation the Congress president had suggested, in order to avoid the bill getting stuck with controversies right at the beginning, the food ministry is preparing a rather bare draft, with only essential provisions. Contentious details that could slow down the UPAII’s flagship scheme will be spelt out only through schedules, rules and government notifications from time to time and not be put up for debate when the bill is shared by the food ministry for public comments.
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RSS Veteran Nanaji Deshmukh Dead

RSS Veteran Nanaji Deshmukh Dead


Sangh Parivar veteran and former Rajya Sabha member Nanaji Deshmukh passed away here today at the age of 94.

He breathed his last at the premises of the country's first rural university he had established in this temple town bordering Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, his close associate Sharda Prasad Dwivedi said.

Deshmukh was unwell for some time due to age-related ailments and had refused to be taken to Delhi for treatment.

A Padma Vibhushan awardee, he had donated his body for medical research.

Born in Kadoli in Maharashtra's Parbhani district on October 11, 1916, Deskmukh had founded Deendayal Research Institute here and was credited for exemplary work in the field of education, health and rural self-reliance.

He was also instrumental in carrying out social restructuring programme in over 500 villages of both the states.

Deshmukh had established the Chitarkoot Gramodya Vishwavidyalaya in Chitrakoot -- the country's first rural university -- and was its Chancellor.

Deshmukh was a key architect of Janata Party government that had broken the uninterrupted Congress-rule at the Centre in 1977.

A man of the organisation, Nanaji- as he was affectionately called by his friends and admirers - was a fighter who ended political untouchability of Bharatiya Jan Sangh, the erstwhile avatar of BJP, by giving total support to Jai Prakash Narayan's call for "Total Revolution" in 1974.

The subsequent developments, including the Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi, led to the formation of the Janata Party which stormed to power by sweeping off the Congress and Nanaji had played a prominent role in those dramatic moments.

Nanaji's organising skills during the JP Movement and the Emergency brought him a ministership offer at the Centre in the Morarji Desai government but he declined. Nanaji had entered the Lok Sabha from Balrampur constituency in Uttar Pradesh in the election which saw Congress being wiped out of the state.

He quietly told those concerned that his own inclination- and the way he saw his utility to the party- was in organisational work.

Earlier, in 1974 during the Bihar Sangarsh Movement, the selfless bachelor had saved JP from a police lathi-charge in Patna.

In fact, at that time Nanaji left the swearing-in ceremony to Jagjivan Ram in an effort to persuade him how necessary his presence in the government was to ensure the stability of the new dispensation.

He was General Secretary of the Janata Party, along with socialist leader Madhu Limaye, but the new experiment was short-lived due to internal bickering and the controversy over dual membership.

Nanaji left politics soon after he turned 60 though he was at the pinnacle of his career. He turned to social work to which he devoted himself till the end.

Senior BJP leader V K Malhotra deeply condoled the death of Nanaji Deshmukh.

"He was a great visionary who will always be remembered for his devotion towards social causes," Malhotra said.

In a condolence message, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati said, during his long public life, Deshmukh served the people and played an important role to make weaker sections of the society self-reliant.

He would be remembered for his contribution towards the development of villages, she said.

UPA Budget 2010-11-VJAS urged Finance Minister to give special Economic Package to Dying Vidarbha

UPA Budget 2010-11-VJAS urged Finance Minister to give special Economic Package to Dying Vidarbha

VJAS urged Finance Minister to give special Economic Package to Dying Vidarbha

NAGPUR: -23th feb.2010

Maharashtra Govt. has declared more than 140000 villages of vidarbha as drought hit after last Anewari (crop yield estimate) given administration has been shown around 45% that’s complete loss cotton crop in the region .as per administration reports these villages has facing the problem of water ,fodder ,food and employment but till date any single district administration has not started any relief work resulting migration of thousands farmers for the want of work ,ground condition is worst than June-2006 and now it’s time for Indian Finance Minister to provide special economic package of Rs.30.000 crore in oder to save more than 3 million cotton farmers visit the vidarbha in oder to take review of his relief package

Vidarbha Jan andolan Samiti (VJAS) has drawn the attention of Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee toward pathetic condition of Vidarbha region of Maharashtra which is known as farm suicide capital of India.It's agrarian crisis but massive backwardness in the infrastructure developments,lack of industrialisation coupled with regular power cut-load shedding ,tribal starvation death ,malnutrition and complete failure of NREGA and NRHM in vidarbha has made this region as colony of salves of western Maharashtra and mumbai .Massive corruption and hostile administration has made ground condition too critical to define ,Vidarbha is the completely ignored region in Maharashtra that has resulted this economic crisis ,needs to be addressed with special economic package by the central budgetary sanctions ,urged by VJAS in letter to FM before the budget.

VJAS president Kishore Tiwari has recalled the visit of Indian prime minister Dr.Manmohan singh to vidarbha and announcement of Rs.3750 crore farmers relief package which has terned to be hoax followed by loan waivers series given by union and state Govt. as it failed to raise Agriculture Growth rate in the region moreover there is no respite to economic hardships of 3 million distressed farmers of vidarbha.Maharashtra attitude toward the vidarbha is so negative that state failed address the basic issues of food security and health care of distressed and dying farmers though there are numbers highcourt orders ,human rights commissions and special panels recommendations hence we need union Govt. intervention by way budgetary special economic package,Tiwari added.

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee souled look at the problems of dry-land farmers of where farmers have to face vagaries of the nature as well as the market forces. Neglect of the dry-land farmers has led to cultivators’ growing dependence on cash crops and giving up food crops. special incentive food crop promotion is long pending demand of vidarbha region.VJAS also urged the FM to look an urgent need for setting up a agricultural price stabilisation fund. In the last five years, prices of farm produce have been volatile. For instance, soyabean prices have swung from Rs 1200 to Rs 4000 a quintal and pluses price Rs 24000 to Rs 74000 a quintal. Due to this a farmer seldom makes money. It is the middleman who gets the big cut while the consumers have to face the brunt of price rise. A stabilisation fund could be the answer to this problem,Tiwari said.

VJAS demands that the government should pump more funds into rural system restoration, NREG and National Rural Health Mission and tighten up the monitoring delivery system to control corruption.National review of NREG and NRHM is must,” demands Tiwari.
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Vidarbha yatra enters Western Vidarbha-PTI

Vidarbha yatra enters Western Vidarbha

NAGPUR: The Vidarbha Rajya Jan Jagran Yatra, a mass contact drive launched by Vidarbha Rajya Sangram Samiti on February 14 from Gondia district, will be entering Western Vidharba today

The 'yatra' launched from Aamgaon has already covered Gondia, Tiroda, Tumsar, Bhandara, Sakoli, Nagbheed, Bramhapuri Wadsa, Gadchiroli, Saoli, Mul, Gondpipri, Rajura and Ballarpur areas, former Union Minister and Nagpur MP, Vilas Muttemwar said today.

The 'yatra' will now traverse through Warora, Wani, Pandharkwada, Ralegaon and Yavatmal and cover other parts of remaining western Vidarbha and will conclude at Mojhari in Amravati on February 25, he added