Sunday, March 20, 2016

उच्च न्यायालयाच्या आदेशाप्रमाणे विदर्भातील ४ हजारावर नापिकीग्रस्त गावामध्ये दुष्काळ जाहीर करा - किशोर तिवारी

उच्चन्यायालयाच्या आदेशाप्रमाणे विदर्भातील ४ हजारावर नापिकीग्रस्त गावामध्ये  दुष्काळ जाहीर करा - किशोर तिवारी 
दिनांक -२० 

 महाराष्ट्र सरकारने शुक्रवारी १८ मार्चला  मुंबई उच्च न्यायालयाच्या नागपूर खंडपीठ पासून कडक शब्दात मिळालेल्या फटकाराची गंभीर दखल घेऊन अमरावती ,अकोला   यवतमाळ व वाशीम सारख्या  शेतकरी आत्महत्या-प्रवण जिल्ह्यात  ज्या ४ हज्रारावर गावात अंतिम आणेवारी ५० टक्क्यापेक्षा  कमी घोषित करण्यात आली   सर्व  नापिकीग्रस्त  शेतकऱ्यांना नुकसान भरपाई  मदत ,नवीन पिक कर्ज ,मागेल त्याला काम ,वीजबिल माफी ,व्याजमाफी ,शेतसारा माफी, शिक्षण खर्च व फी माफी तात्काळ घोषित करावी अशी कै.वसंतराव नाईक शेतकरी स्वालम्बन  मिशनचे  अध्यक्ष किशोर तिवारी यांनी  मुख्यमंत्री देवेन्द्र फडणवीस यांना केली आहे . 
मुंबई उच्च न्यायालयाच्या नागपूर खंडपीठाचे न्यायाधीश मां भूषण गवई व प्रसन्ना  वैराळे यांनी आपल्या आदेशात सनदी अधिकाऱ्यांविषयी ओढलेले ताशेरे फारच गंभीर असुन सरकारने या आदेशाची दखल घेत अधिकाऱ्यांची जबाबदारी निश्चित करावी अशी मागणी सुद्धा मिशनचे  अध्यक्ष किशोर तिवारी यांनी  मुख्यमंत्री देवेन्द्र फडणवीस यांना केली आहे .  

मुंबई उच्च न्यायालयाच्या नागपूर खंडपीठाणे न्यायाधीश मां भूषण गवई व प्रसन्ना  वैराळे यांनी आपण विदर्भाच्या खेड्यात फिरत असतांना  गरीब दुष्काळ व नापिकीग्रस्त  शेतकऱ्यांची दैना व दुखः समजु शकतो मात्र  अमरावती विभागातील त्यांच्या  अडचणीचा विचार करण्यात मंत्रालयातील  सरकारी अधिकारी अपयशी ठरले असुन त्यांच्या संवेदनहीन वागण्यावर उभे  केलेल्या प्रश्नांमुळे सरकारच्या शेतकऱ्यांना दिलासा देण्यासाठी करण्यात येत असलेल्या सर्व उपायावर पाणी फिरत असल्याचे दुखः ,तिवारी यांनी व्यक्त केले आहे . जर .अमरावती जिल्यातील १९८५ गावांपैकी १९६५ गावाची ,अकोला जिल्यातील १००९ गावापैकी  ९९७ गावाची ,यवतमाळ जिल्यातील २१५८ गावांपैकी  ९७० गावाची,वाशिम जिल्यातील ७९३ गावांपैकी  ७९३ गावाची अंतिम आणेवारी बुलढाणा ळ जिल्यातील १४२९ गावांपैकी  १४२०  गावा प्रमाणे  ५० टक्क्याच्या खाली असतांना फक्त बुलढाणा जिल्ह्यांमध्ये दुष्काळ जाहीर करणे व अख्या भारतामध्ये सर्वात जास्त शेतकरी आत्महत्या होत असलेल्या यवतमाळ मध्ये  फक्त दोन गावे दुष्काळग्रस्त  म्हणून घोषित करण्यात आल्यामुळे मुंबई उच्च न्यायालयाच्या नागपूर खंडपीठाने येत्या बुधवार पर्यंत  अमरावती विभागीय आयुक्त शिफारस केलेल्या अमरावती, अकोला, यवतमाळ व वाशीम जिल्हातील सर्व ४ हजारावर गावे नापिकीग्रस्त यादीत   समाविष्ट करण्यास सरकारला औपचारिकता पूर्ण करून  आणि जीआर बदलुन  एक शुद्धीपत्रक जारी करण्यास  सरकारला आदेश  देताना  मंत्रालयातील वातानुकूलित कार्यालयात बसून सर्व अधिकारी यांचा  दृष्टिकोन गरीब अडचणीत असलेल्या यांचे  दु: ख न समजुन घेत  पूर्णपणे निष्ठुर आणि अ प्रासंगिक असल्याचा ताशेरा फारच गंभीर असुन आतातरी सरकारने दुष्काळ व नापिकीग्रस्त शेतकऱ्यांना  नुकसान भरपाई  मदत ,नवीन पिक कर्ज ,मागेल त्याला काम ,वीजबिल माफी ,व्याजमाफी ,शेतसारा माफी, शिक्षण खर्च व फी माफी तात्काळ घोषित करावी अशी कै.वसंतराव नाईक शेतकरी स्वालम्बन  मिशनचे  अध्यक्ष किशोर तिवारी अशी कळकळीची विनंती  केली आहे . 

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Friday, March 11, 2016

RBI orders probe into alleged frauds in loans to farmers-IANS

RBI orders probe into alleged frauds in loans to farmers

http://www.businesstoday.in/sectors/banks/rbi-orders-probe-into-alleged-frauds-in-loans-to-farmers/story/230147.html
http://www.firstpost.com/india/rbi-orders-probe-into-alleged-bank-frauds-in-loans-to-farmers-2669448.html?utm_source=FP_CAT_LATEST_NEWS

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has ordered a probe into allegations of irregularities committed by public, private and foreign banks to claim achievements of targets in lending to farmers and the agro-sector, an official said on Friday.
The probe has been ordered following a detailed memorandum listing the alleged frauds, submitted by the Vasantrao Naik Sheti Swavalamban Mission (VNSSM), a state-run body, in December.
The finance ministry had forwarded the VNSSM complaint to the Chief Vigilance Officer of RBI after which the probe was initiated, said VNSSM President Kishore Tiwari, who enjoys the rank of a minister of state.
"It is shocking that due to failure of banks to implement the RBI Targeted schemes, farmers and agro-sectors are suffering and the country has witnessed lakhs of farmland suicides, including over 25,000 in Maharashtra alone, in the past decade," Tiwari said.
He said that as per RBI's guidelines, all banks in the country were given a specific target of lending 18 percent of Adjusted Net Bank Credit or credit equivalent of Off-Balance Sheet Exposure, whichever is higher, to the agro-sector and farmers.
However, a study by the VNSSM revealed the massive alleged irregularities and frauds perpetrated by the concerned banks merely to tom-tom achievements of targets and sub-targets, thereby defeating the purpose of benefiting the farmers and agro-priorities sectors, Tiwari said.
The modus operandi reportedly involved forming fictitious farmers' Joint Liabilities Groups with fraudulent documents in the name of the farmers. The disbursements of crores of rupees of agro-credits never reached them though the targets were shown as 'achieved'.
Similarly, paper-borne schemes of agro-finance against collaterals of agricultural lands of the farmers at subsidized interest rates were shown, but immediately the entire amounts were turned and put in fixed deposits at higher interest rates, Tiwari said.
"Hence, though it was shown as disbursed on paper, in reality the money never reached the farmers and while the banks 'enriched' themselves, the poor farmers resorted to suicide. This is virtually a white collar crime," he said.
Another paper-borne scheme pertains to Agro Warehousing Receipt finance through Urban Cooperative Socieites by way of Cash Credit against agro-produce, said to be stored in warehouses against which the societies claimed finance for farmers at low interest rates. Again the entire amount was converted into FDs and did not reach the famers, according to Tiwari.
The VNSSM listed other methods to defeat the agro-sector and farmers with big Cash Credits made available at low interest rates to corporate houses for their farming businesses to show achievement of targets.

Monday, March 7, 2016

Promote non-chemical farming to curb farmer suicides: More farm credit, food security key to ending financial distress:VNSSM Report

Promote non-chemical farming to curb farmer suicides: 
More farm credit, food security key to ending financial distress:VNSSM  Panel report

http://epaper.dnaindia.com/story.aspx?id=87837&boxid=37380&ed_date=2016-03-07&ed_page=4&ed_code=820009
http://epaper.dnaindia.com/story.aspx?id=87837&boxid=37356&ed_date=2016-03-07&ed_page=4&ed_code=820009
Mar 07, 2016
State committee says reintroduction of oilseed and pluses, which require less water, is a must
To curb the growing number of suicides, Maharashtra government should ask farmers of 14 suicide-prone districts to adopt the Sikkim-pattern non-chemical farming. This suggestion has come from the committee which was appointed by the government to look into the vexed issue.
The report filed by the committee said that the rain-sensitive cash crop in these 14 crisis driven districts has seen uncontrolled use of fertiliser, pesticide which has resulted in serious deterioration of soil health and pest virus epidemic.
“Besides, dipping of ground water level, spread of complex multiple public health and ecological issues of environmental degradation have been alarming. Therefore, farmers should adopt the non-chemical environment friendly non-toxic agrarian practices,” said Kishor Tiwari, farmer leader who is part of the committee.
Tiwari said that delay in following this recommended pratice will aggravate farmers’ distress in future. “Reintroduction of oil seed and pluses which require less water is must. It will also help restore soil quality. This agenda should be implemented to revive agriculture in drought-affected regions,” stated the report.
The report also states that to make Maharashtra drought-free, soil moisture management has to be done. “The chief minister’s dream project Jalyukta Shivar and importance of soil moisture enrichment must be highlighted. Besides, the all small water sources and rivers will have to be revived. These sources are currently dead, and hence, with the help of civil society and rural masses at large, this movement should be taken to the next level. People are already participating and turning this Jalyukta Shivar to a mission. The government has already started working with support of NGOs to supplement the state’s efforts to make Maharashtra completely drought-free,” mentioned in the report.
The main reason behind farmers’ suicide is the agrarian crisis which is the result of successive drought and crop failure. “Credit, crop and cost management is must to provide sustainable solutions and improve productivity and income flow in the rural economy. Hence, the farm distress mission is focussed on this two-point agenda. The distress management relief plan will provide food and health security, better farm credit facilities in the existing network. There should be steps to provide water and electricity to every farmer, better education facilities in the affected region, livelihood management, more job opportunities under MGNREGA and Mudra scheme. There should be improved, zero pendency and corruption-free local governance, proper implementation of programmes and welfare schemes, better law and order situation in these 14 districts of the mission,” added the report.
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More farm credit, food security key to ending financial distress

The committee appointed by the government to look into the farmers’ suicide issue has said that the state should offer more farm credits by introducing policies to end financial distress of debt-ridden farmers.
“The long-term sustainable farm credit policy has been drafted by VNSS (Vasantrao Naik Sheti Swavlamban) mission, which is the ultimate solution to curb the farm credit crisis and end economic exploitation and venerability responsible for the present acute farm distress. Presently the fund infusion for local value addition and post harvest holding and fair marketing facilities is too limited to cover even 10% distress farmers in the region. We have to look into these core issues with sustainable solutions safeguarding stake holder interest,” stated the report.
The farm credit diversion and detail petition has been lodged with the Centre and RBI-NABARD. Beside farm credict, food security is also crucial in the drought-affected region. “State government has started giving food security to around 7 million farming families. We are further extending it to deprived farm labourers and landless farmers under NFS. Hence, we are targeting to cover all needy and distressed people under food security in the drought-hit 14 districts by March. This will give average annual relief of Rs6,000 to every family in the form of food grain,” said Kishor Tiwari, farmer leader who is part of the committee.
The committee’s report said that they have also given suggestions on improvement of health services. “In recent past, annual health expenses of farm families in distressed area have increased tenfold. Every farm family having changed food habits and life style is suffering with non-communicable diseases and critical illness is adding fuel to acute distress. Hence, the committee suggested improvement in health insurance cover. The health services are pathetic due to continuous negligence and hostile governance, but this mismanagement of health administration is the result non-availability of health professionals,” stated in the report.
It states that the present health insurance cover is not covering all the illnesses and procedures which are common in rural Maharashtra. “There is an urgent need give proper health insurance cover that will provide free health care. There should be a special drive to improve the public health system and we need a complete action plan,” stated the report.