सलाम...‘पद्मश्री’ नाकारणा-या साईनाथांना!

सलाम...‘पद्मश्री’ नाकारणा-या साईनाथांना!
28 Jan 2009, 1932 hrs IST

हारिस शेख

राजधानी नवी दिल्लीत ल्युटेन्स एरियात दोन मराठी माणसं भेटली आणि त्यांच्या पोटात भुकेचे कावळे ओरडू लागले तर साधारणपणे ते कोपर्निकस मार्गाला लागतात . इथल्या महाराष्ट्र सदनाच्या कॅंटिनमध्ये जेवणासोबत गप्पा असा दुहेरी उद्देश साध्य होतो . डिसेंबरच्या शेवटच्या आठवड्यात इथं गप्पा मारताना मित्राने शेजारच्या टेबलापाशी बसलेल्या एका सदगृहस्थाचा परिचय करून दिला . ‘ हे डॉ . अमूक तमूक , मुंबईत गोरेगावात यांचं मोठं हॉस्पिटल आहे . सदनात माझ्या खोलीत थांबलेत .’

डॉक्टर आहेत म्हटल्यावर दिल्लीत एखाद्या चर्चासत्रात भाग घेण्यासाठी आले असावेत असा विचार मनात येवून गेला . पण ते तसं नव्हतच . मित्राने नंतर हळूच कानात सांगितलं , ‘ या सद्गगृहस्थाला यावर्षी पद्मश्री मिळवायची आहे . त्यासाठी जोरदार लॉबिंग सुरू केलंय त्यांनी . भेटीगाठी घेण्यासाठी गेला आठवडाभर दिल्लीत ठाण मांडून आहेत .’ आणि माझ्या डोक्यात एकदम प्रकाश पडला .

दुसरी एक घटना . जानेवारीचा पहिला आठवडा . दिल्लीत थंडी ऐन भरात . मुंबई हल्ल्यानंतर मुजोर पाक राज्यकर्त्यांना रोजची सडेतोड उत्तरं देऊन बेजार झालेले ७३ वर्षीय परराष्ट्र मंत्री प्रणव मुखर्जी आपल्या १३ , तालकटोरा रोडवरच्या बंगल्यात मतदारसंघातून आलेल्यांच्या भेटी घेत होते . तेवढ्यात एक व्यक्ती बंगालीत बोलत पुढे आला . आणि माझं एक बंगाली गाणं ऐकाच , अशी प्रणवदांना गळ घातली . बिच्चारे प्रणवदा ! भाषेच्या प्रेमापोटी त्यांनी त्याला होकार दिला आणि जबरदस्तीचे ते सूर कानात कोंबून घेतले . त्यानंतर लगेच या गायकानं आपली मागणी पुढे रेटली . या गायकाची मेहनत अखेर फळाला आली . आणि हे गृहस्थ झाले ‘ पद्मश्री ’ कुमार शानू !

जेष्ठ पत्रकार पी . साईनाथ यांनी पद्मश्री सन्मान घेण्याचे नाकारल्याचे वृत्त प्रकाशित झाले आणि एक विचार मनात आला . ‘ पद्मश्री ’ ने सन्मानित करून केंद्र सरकार खरोखरच ' पत्रकार ' पी . साईनाथ यांचा गौरव करू इच्छित होते का ? की सरकारी अनास्थेमुळं गेल्या दशकभरात लाखो शेतक - यांच्या आत्महत्येमुळं गेलेली लाज राखण्याच्या प्रयत्नांचा हा एक भाग होता ?

दुष्काळ आणि सततच्या नापिकीला कंटाळून आत्महत्येला कवटाळणा - या विदर्भच नव्हे तर आंध्र प्रदेश , तामिळनाडू आणि केरळमधल्या लाखो शेतक - यांची व्यथा साईनाथ यांनी तळमळीने मांडली आहे . नव्वदच्या दशकात साईनाथ देशातल्या सर्वात दुष्काळग्रस्त जिल्ह्यात राहून वार्तांकन करायचे तेव्हा अनेक राज्यांच्या मुख्यमंत्र्यांनी त्यांच्या लेखणीचा धसका घेतला होता .

आपल्या लेखणीनं पत्रकारितेची शान उंचावणारे साईनाथ यांनी वेळोवेळी सरकारी यंत्रणेच्या डोळ्यात झणझणीत अंजन घालण्याचेच काम केले आहे . त्यामुळे आणि साहजिकच , आपल्या या ‘ कृत्यां ’ मुळे साईनाथ सरकारी यंत्रणेच्या नजरेत एक झेंगाट झाले . हे झेंगाट दूर सारण्यासाठी यंत्रणेनं आपापल्या परीने वेगवेगळे प्रयोग सुद्धा केलेत . सर्वात मोठा कळस केला तो माजी मुख्यमंत्री विलासराव देशमुख यांनी . विदर्भातल्या शेतक-यांच्या आत्महत्येबाबत साईनाथ यांनी जगासमोर मांडलेलं विदारक सत्य खोडण्यासाठी त्यांनी चक्क एक सदस्यीय आयोगच नेमला . मात्र सरकारचा तो डावही उलटला .

सरकार नावाच्या निर्ढावलेल्या यंत्रणेच्या अंगावर सतत खेकसणा - या साईनाथसारख्या पत्रकाराचा शासकीय पातळीवर गौरव होणं तसं दुरापास्तच होतं . म्हणूनच गेले दोन दशकांपेक्षा जास्त काळ साईनाथ यांच्या पत्रकारितेतील कार्याचा गौरव जगभर होत असताना राज्य आणि देशपातळीवर मात्र घोर उपेक्षा होत होती .

पी . साईनाथ यांना त्यांच्या २६ वर्षाच्या पत्रकारितेच्या कारकिर्दीत ३० राष्ट्रीय आंतरराष्ट्रीय पुरस्कार मिळाले आहेत . त्यात ‘ रमन मॅगसेसे पुरस्कार ’, संयुक्त राष्ट्र संघाचा ‘ बिर्मा पत्रकारिता पुरस्कार ’, मानवाधिकार पत्रकारितेसाठीचा ‘ अॅम्नेस्टी पुरस्कार ’, बी . डी गोयंका पुरस्काराचा समावेश आहे .

दिल्लीत सत्तेच्या दरबाराच्या आसपास घुसमटणारे , ‘ बिग फाइट ’ आणि ‘ वुई द पिपल ’ मधून दवंडी पिटणा - या पत्रकारांना ‘ पद्मश्री ’ ने गौरवणा - या सरकारी यंत्रणेचं लक्ष साईनाथ यांच्याकडे जाऊच शकणार नाही , हे स्पष्ट होतं .

अशी ही यंत्रणा साईनाथ यांना मॅगेसेसे पुरस्कार मिळाल्यानंतर ‘ पद्मश्री ’ साठी राजी झाली हेही नसावे थोडके. पण पुरस्कार स्वीकारायचे किंवा नाकारायचे हे त्या त्या व्यक्तीवर अवलंबून असतं . कोणताही सरकारी पुरस्कार स्वीकारायचा नाही असं स्वतःवर बंधन घातल्यामुळं साईनाथ यांनी ‘ पद्मश्री ’ नाकारली असं सांगण्यात येतं .

तरीही प्रश्न उरतोच . पद्मश्री देऊन सरकार खरंच त्यांचा सन्मान करू इच्छित होती का ?

ता . क. - यापूर्वी ‘ पद्म ’ पुरस्कारांना ‘ नो, थँक्स ’ म्हणणारे पी . साईनाथ यांचे भाऊबंद

१ ) ए . एन सिवरामन , संपादक , तमिळ दैनिक दिनमनी ( पद्मश्री १९६५ )- ‘ पत्रकारांनी अशाप्रकारचे पुरस्कार स्वीकारणं योग्य नाही .’

२ ) कनक सेन देका , संपादक , असामी दैनिक अग्रदूत ( पद्मश्री , २००५ )- ‘ हा पुरस्कार स्वीकारल्यानं आसामी नागरिकांनी माझ्यावर दाखवलेलं प्रेम आणि जिव्हाळयाचा अनादर होईल .’

३ ) निखिल चक्रवर्ती , जेष्ठ पत्रकार , ( पद्मभूषण , १९९० ) - ‘ शासकीय पुरस्कार स्वीकारल्यानं निष्पक्ष पत्रकार म्हणून असलेली ओळख पुसली जाऊन व्यवस्थेसोबत जोडली जाईल .’

४ ) खुशवंत सिंग , जेष्ठ पत्रकार , लेखक , ( पद्मभूषण , १९८४ )- ऑपरेशन ब्ल्यू स्टार कारवाईचा निषेध म्हणून सरकारला पुरस्कार परत .

farmer's suicides in rich maharashtra is shameful -p.sainath- deshonnati reports

farmer's suicides in rich maharashtra is shameful -p.sainath- deshonnati reports

p.sainath detail interview on vidarbha farmers suicides published by
daily-deshonnati,yavatmal.

Posted by PLEASE SAVE VIDARBHA FARMER

vidarbha farmers widows meet on 15th jan,2009 at pandharkawada

Loan waiver brings little cheer to Vidarbha farmers

Printed from

Loan waiver brings little cheer to Vidarbha farmers http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/PoliticsNation/Loan_waiver_brings_little_cheer_to_Vidarbha_farmers/articleshow/3965283.cms 12 Jan 2009, 0028 hrs IST, Abhiram Ghadyalpatil, ET Bureau

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government has doled out another debt waiver to farmers but the critical region of Vidarbha is not happy. The Rs 6,208-crore loan write off that the Ashok Chavan government announced recently has brought little cheer to Vidarbha, the region where six crisis-ridden districts saw 1,139 farmers committing suicides in 2008, according to farmers’ organisations and activists. In the Rs 6,208-crore package, Vidarbha's share works out to only around Rs 1,000 crore, critics of the package claim. Their grouse is that the relatively prosperous region of Western Maharashtra, which has not reported farm suicides on the scale of Vidarbha and Marathwada, takes away the largest almost half the outlay at Rs 3,000 crore. Farmers in the Marathwada region have got a share of Rs 1,800 crore, the sources said while the Konkan region, where the outflow of agriculture credit is minimal in the state, has got debt worth Rs 200 crore waived off. “This a gross injustice to Vidarbha once again. The agrarian crisis is most severe in Vidarbha and Marathwada. These are also the main cotton growing regions, where the cotton farmers are committing suicides. But Vidarbha and Marathwada have been given a raw deal in this package as well," said farmers' leader Vijay Jawandhiya who is based in Wardha district of Vidarbha. Mr Jawandhiya also referred to the earlier three relief packages — Rs 1,075-crore sop declared by the state government in December 2005, Rs 3,750-crore rehabilitation programme announced by the prime minister in July 2006, and the mega debt-waiver package of Rs 71,000 crore set afoot in February 2008. The Rs 6,208-crore package grants of waiver of loans up to Rs 20,000 and a partial relief on loans more than Rs 20,000 in the form of concession on principal amount. “The state government's package and Prime Minister’s programme did not write off debt and there were hardly measures to extend immediate assistance to farmers. Though the debt got waived last year, not more than 30% farmers in Vidarbha got benefit," Mr Jawandhiya said. But Sudhir Goel, principal secretary, co-operation, pointed out that Vidarbha farmers had received maximum benefit in the sense their debt had been waived in proportion of credit outflow in the region. "In absolute terms, figures prove that Vidarbha and Marathwada have actually benefited from the relief package. In Western Maharashtra, the loan disbursement has been more as compared to Vidarbha and Marathwada. But there, the loan repayment has also been better than Vidarbha and Marathwada. The amount of agriculture debt waived off in Western Maharashtra is higher because farmers there have got 65% of the total formal credit allocated to Maharashtra over the years as compared to Vidarbha at 18% and Marathwada at 15%. But the package has covered only half of the 65% credit in Western Maharashtra since the other half has been repaid. In contrast, Vidarbha, Marathwada, and Konkan have got a bigger chunk of their outstanding debt written off," Dr Goel told ET. In the Rs 71,000 crore package, the centre waived off crop loans that had become outstanding on March 31, 2007. Small and marginal farmers holding up to 5 acres of land got their debt waived off while farmers with bigger land holding got a 25% concession if they settled the remaining 75% of their debt in one instalment. In Maharashtra, the package covered around 35% farmers--37.5 lakh--who got debt worth Rs 7800 crore written off. Activists in Vidarbha have been claiming that even the Rs 71,000 crore package helped more number of farmers in Western Maharashtra and Khandesh since land holding in these regions is lesser than that in Vidarbha. "This was the reason why farmers in Vidarbha demanded a clear-cut debt waiver irrespective of land holding. In Vidarbha, average land holding is more than 5 acres but average per head debt is less than Rs. 50,000. This demand was backed by Pune University vice-chancellor Dr Narendra Jadhav who submitted a report to the state government. But the state government has let down Vidarbha once again by not accepting this recommendation," Mr Jawandhiya said.

Western Maha gets bigger pie of farm loan waiver-Business-Standard

Western Maha gets bigger pie of farm loan waiver
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/western-maha-gets-bigger-piefarm-loan-waiver/00/46/345914/
Makarand Gadgil / Mumbai January 12, 2009, 0:42 IST

The Maharashtra government’s recent farm loan waiver package has once again given maximum benefit to the relatively prosperous western Maharashtra region compared to Vidarbha and Marathwada where the agrarian crisis is the worst, claim farm right activists.

They say out of the Rs 6,200-crore waiver package, nearly Rs 3,000 crore is going to go to western Maharashtra, whereas poor Vidarbha and Marathwada are going to get only Rs 1,000 crore and Rs 1,800 crore, respectively.

One of the major reasons why the state government was forced to announce the farm loan waiver package was social activists, political leadership and media who cried foul as Rs 71,000-crore farm loan waiver package benefited western Maharashtra the most. The largest number of farmer suicides were reported from the six cotton growing districts of the Vidarbha region.

Western Maharashtra benefitted maximum under the central government’s package as the region has better irrigation facilities, which allows farmers to cultivate cash crops like sugarcane which get higher loan compared to dry land crops like cotton and as land holding is much smaller in western Maharashtra compared to Vidarbha, many more farmers were benefitted by the central government’s scheme.

According to the state government, under the central scheme, Rs 2,500 crore was waived in western Maharashtra, Rs 1,900 crore in Marathwada, Rs 1,600 crore in Vidarbha, Rs 1,400 crore in northern Maharashtra and Rs 400 crore in the Konkan region.

Under the state government’s farm loan waiver package, loan of all the farmers having land more than 5 acres up to Rs 20,000 have been completely waived.

Farmers who have taken a loan of more than Rs 20,000 each will have to pay only what is above that amount. This benefit was also extended to all farmers who have repaid their loans in the past and got loan for the last khariff season.

satyam fraud-links to MIHAN Nagpur

Samiti demands probe into MADC MD's involvement in Satyam-PTI

January 10,2009	Print
Source: PTI
Samiti demands probe into MADC MD's involvement in Satyam http://www.indopia.in/India-usa-uk-news/latest-news/474986/National/1/20/1
Nagpur, Jan 10 (PTI) Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti has demanded a probe into the role and links of Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC) managing director R C Sinha in the accounting fraud of Satyam Computers. Sinha, in his capacity as MD of MADC, has signed agreements with Satyam-promoted Maytas company where he was the chairman at the same time, Samiti president Kishor Tiwari said in a statement here today.Maharashtra government should immediately relieve Sinha from MADC and from the ambitious MIHAN project where Satyam had plans to come up with a unit, it said.Samiti has demanded a CBI probe into the alleged links of Sinha with Satyam, Maytas and over all fruad. It has also written to Chief Minister Ashok Chavan to look into alleged fraud.

Satyam Scam :VJAS demands C.B.I. probe in to involvement Maytas Infra Chairman R.C. Sinha

Friday, January 9, 2009

Satyam Scam :VJAS demands C.B.I. probe in to involvement Maytas Infra Chairman R.C. Sinha

Satyam Scam :VJAS demands C.B.I. probe in to involvement Maytas Infra Chairman R.C. Sinha

NAGPUR-10^th January 2009

Whole vidarbha has been shocked to learn the news that the main man behind MIHAN - Multi-modal International Cargo Hub and Airport at Nagpur Shri. R.C. Sinha, I.A.S. presentely working as Vice Chairman & Managing Director, Maharashtra Airport Development Ltd. (MADC)Company in the ranking Addl. Chief Secretary, Govt. of Maharashtra has resigned as chairman of Maytas Infra Pvt.Ltd. as Maytas Infra is company owned by family members of Satyam Computer Services founder and ex.chairman Ramlinga Raju who has alleged to siphoned out Rs.7000 crore for real estate business and Ramalinga Raju's son Teja Raju is the vice-chairman and chief executive of Maytas Infra..

VJAS (Vidarbha Jan andolan Samiti) president Kishor Tiwari in letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan asked to arrange C.B.I. enquiry in to involvement of very senior bureaucrat working on sensitive project like MIHAN in which Maytas Infra has been given big land by Maharashtra Airport Development Ltd. (MADC) controlled by Shri. R.C. Sinha.

VJAS has objected the duel status of Shri. R.C. Sinha, as as Vice Chairman & Managing Director, Maharashtra Airport Development Ltd. (MADC) and chairman of Maytas Infra Pvt.Ltd and raised issue of legitimate permission and morality as MIHAN - Multi-modal International Cargo Hub and Airport at Nagpur is dream project of all politicians expecting creation of millions of jobs for vidarbha youths .

As fraud has been rocked in Satyam Computer Services and Maytas Infra Ltd. is closely linked with Satyam Computer Services founder and ex.-Chairman Ramalianga Raju hence role of Shri. R.C. Sinha, as as Vice Chairman & Managing Director, Maharashtra Airport Development Ltd. (MADC) and chairman of Maytas Infra Pvt.Ltd needs to be probed as it is reported that Mr Sinha came in contact with Satyam Computer Services founder and chairman B Ramalinga Raju, who holds a 36% stake in Maytas Infra, while he was serving the Andhra government.

Controversial officer, Mr Sinha is known as a strict task master there are complaints of having special benefits being given real estate companies like DLF and MANTRI in which some of local leaders are the promoters ,it is also allged that R.C.Sinha has been holding charge of chairman of many companies having projects in MIHAN,Kishor Tiwari allged.

Please release this pres note

Thanking you,

Yours faithfully,

For VIDARBHA JAN ANDOLAN SAMITI

KISHORE TIWARI

PRESIDENT

kishortiwari@gmail.com

contact-09422108846

Thursday, January 8, 2009

12 more farmer suicides in Vidarbha -Pradip Kumar Maitra, Hindustan Times

Pradip Kumar Maitra, Hindustan Times

Email Author

Nagpur, January 09, 2009

First Published: 01:56 IST(8/1/2009)

Last Updated: 01:57 IST(8/1/2009)

12 more farmer suicides in Vidarbha

The relief packages seem to have done a little when it comes to the farmers of Vidarbha, particularly the cotton growers.

Despite another relief package of Rs 6,208 crore announced by CM Ashok Chavan on the concluding day of the Winter Session, 12 more farmers ended their lives in last seven days.

Earlier, the state and prime minister had provided two separate relief packages of Rs 1,050 crore and Rs 3,750 crore respectively in 2006 to bail out Vidarbha farmers. However, the farmers’ suicide continued unabated in Vidarbha and around 2,000 more farmers have killed themselves because of crop failure and debts after both the packages were announced.

Kishore Tiwari of Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti, which is documenting the farmers’ suicide, alleged that most of the latest victims took the extreme step because they could not sell their raw cotton due to the closure of several centres by the state cotton marketing cooperative federation.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print.aspx?Id=31721f0a-20aa-4add-8179-c34c2262ce3f

© Copyright 2007 Hindustan Times

Vidarbha farmers Dying Facts

1.Cotton procurement centres closed, farmers in dire straits-Times of India

Ramu Bhagwat | TNN
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=TkdUT0kvMjAwOS8wMS8wOCNBcjAwNjAx&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Nagpur: A large number of cotton procurement centres in the state have been closed leaving the farmers saddled with harvested crop waiting to sell the produce. According to the Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti, the collection centres were closed as the National Agricultural Marketing Federation (Nafed), has exhausted its funds earmarked for purchases this year.
Samiti president Kishore Tiwari told TOI on Wednesday that Pandharkawda and many other centres in Yavatmal were shut for last three weeks. "Farmers are in dire straits as private traders are also not coming forward to purchase because of severe recession in international market leading to big fall in cotton rates," said Tiwari. On Thursday, Samiti will demonstrate before the closed procurement centres in the region.
"At the start of the season, federation had promised to procure every single boll of cotton offered for purchase. It had also fixed 200 lakh quintals as target for collection. But after collecting less than 70 lakh quintal it has given up. Because Nafed, on whose behalf it is purchasing this year, is cash strapped and reports have appeared in media stating that Nafed has exhausted its allocated funds," said Tiwari.
"Obviously, the federation has failed to keep its word and is misleading people saying that procurement has been suspended as no space was available to stock cotton," Tiwari alleged.
He said the state should draw the Centre's attention to the serious problem of Vidarbha's distressed farmers in cotton belt and seek more funds for Nafed so that procurement resumes. VJAS has also alleged that the federation is behind schedule by over a month in paying dues to farmers.
"The farmer who soled cotton 40 days ago to the federation is receiving payment now. This is again a failure on the federation part which had promised to clear dues within a week," added Tiwari.
=========================================================================================

2.Cotton growers stage road blockade
http://www.indopia.in/India-usa-uk-news/latest-news/470232/National/1/20/1

Yavatmal , Jan 6 The cotton growers of Pusad tehsil staged a road blockade when the Federation&aposs procurement centre denied the entry of cotton laden carts into the Ginning and Pressing factory premises.

The road blockade, which continued for two hours, disrupted the vehicular movements on the route yesterday. The issue was resolved after police intervened and Federtion allowed farmers to park their carts in the factory premises. It may be recalled that a weeks ago, the irate cotton growers have locked the employees and officers of the APMC and staged a dharna in front of the office when the latter refused to distribute the priority token to waiting farmers. NAFED and CCI have started procurement from November 3 last but stopped the process abruptly from December 27 citing the qunatity of cotton as more than the working capacity of men and machinery available at all centres. Priority tokens were distributed to cotton growers with an intension to reduce the last minute rush. However, the cotton growers are found flocking at each centre despite giving prior notice not to bring cotton till further orders or notification. PTI
3. .10 debt-ridden farmers commit suicide in Vidarbha: Vidarbha Jan
Andolan Samiti (VJAS),---- UNI

Nagpur, Jan 7 : As many as ten debt-ridden farmers committed suicide
in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra in the first five days of the new
year, activists said today.

According to Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti (VJAS), a voluntary
organisation working among farmers in the region, those who ended
their lives included two each from Yavatmal, Amravati, Wardha and
Nagpur districts, and one each from Chandrapur and Buldhana districts.

The suicides took place immediately after the state government
announced a Rs 6,208 crore loan waiver and loan repayment discount
package for farmers, a VJAS press release said.

Over 5,000 debt-ridden farmers had committed suicide in Vidarbha in
the last three years, it added.

--- UNI

Saturday, January 3, 2009

Farmers to start agitation from 8th January for reopening to NAFED and CCI procurement centers

All cotton procurements centers closed in vidarbha :Distress sale forcing farmer to commit suicide

Farmers to start agitation from 8th January for reopening to NAFED and CCI procurement centers

Nagpur- Dated-3^rd January 2009

As even Maharashtra Govt. has assured that NAFED or CCI will buy all cotton from vidarbha growers till the last bole but the ground reality is not in line with announcement as almost all procurement centers in the cotton belt of vidarbha is now closed and most of farmers are forced to sale in distress in much more lower price than MSP .

First two days of 2009 has reported four farm suicides and victims are cotton growers of suicide prone district of prime minister relief package

1.DATTAJI PAWAR OF YAVATMAL

2.NARENDRA GADGE OF WARDHA

3.VITHAL GADLINGE OF AMARAVATI

4.SAHEBRAO GAWANDE OF AMRAVATI

Kishor Tiwari of Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti informed in a press release today.

.

.

Farmers to start agitation from 8th January for reopening to NAFED and CCI procurement centres

In last fortnight the cotton procurement centers through out west vidarbha have been closed on technical ground and private traders have started cotton procurement below the minimum support price MSP and farmers are forced to sale the cotton at throw away price in distress sale and cotton growers are at huge losses resulting more farm suicides in vidarbha ,tiwari feared .

"If Govt. failed to procure the farmers cotton at MSP then it's move to raise the MSP would be ridiculous and will create more complications to the existing agrarian crisis ,hence VJAS have been demanding immediate opening of all procurements centers and in order to press our demand ,we are starting agtation from 8^th janauary .

farmers who wants to sale their cotton will bring it to nearest closed procurement centre and will start agitation to demand open the centre and procurement by NAFED or CCI .

There are media reports that NAFED and CCI have buying aggressively in other states like A.P.,M.P. and Punjab but even after continuous farm suicides of vidarbha cotton farmers ,they have closed procurement ,kishor tiwari said.

VJAS has also demanded central intervention in order solve cotton farmers crisis in vidarbha ,tiwari added. .

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Please release this pres note

Thanking you,

Yours faithfully,

For VIDARBHA JAN ANDOLAN SAMITI

KISHORE TIWARI

PRESIDENT

kishortiwari@gmail.com

contact-09422108846

Posted by VIDARBHA JAN ANDOLAN SAMITI

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

UNENDING HARDSHIPS FOR VIDARBHA FARMERS-Times of India

UNENDING HARDSHIPS FOR VIDARBHA FARMERS Waiver: Farm activists not enthused Ramu Bhagwat | TNN http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOI&BaseHref=NGTOI/2009/01/01&PageLabel=5&EntityId=Ar00501&ViewMode=HTML&GZ=T Nagpur: “I am completely satisfied with the new Rs 6208 crore relief package for farmers announced by chief minister Ashok Chavan,” Pune University vice chancellor Narendra Jadhav, who as a one-man commission studied the agriculture crisis in the state and presented his report to the state government five months ago, told ToI on Wednesday. Following reports of unending farmer suicides, especially in Vidarbha region even after implantation of the CM-PM packages totalling Rs 5,000 crore, the state had appointed Jadhav, who is also an economist, to study the situation. In his report submitted to the cabinet on July 24, Jadhav was unsparing about the lapses in the implementation of the PM-CM packages and also the Central loan waiver for farmers announced in the last Union budget and upgraded subsequently to Rs 71,000 crore waiver package. “The Chavan government has kept its word. On December 28, at a highlevel meeting held in Nagpur, Chavan gave me a commitment that 19 of the recommendations contained in my report would be considered favourably. I am happy that 13 of my suggestions are being implemented and the remaining six are at an advanced stag e of consideration,” Jadhav said. He refused to comment on the downgrading of his recommendation of waiver to the tune of Rs 50,000 across the board to all farmers to Rs 20,000. Meanwhile, the opposition as well as farmers’ activists have found nothing to enthuse in the Rs 6,208 crore package the CM announced on Tuesday at the fag end of the legislature’s winter session here. “Instead of targeting most distressed farmers of Vidarbha, the new package once again is inclusive for all regions, even areas which deserve no government largesse,” said Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti president Kishore Tiwari. “More unfortunately, the package is silent on addressing basic problems like farm infrastructure spending, providing much needed food security to the economically stressed, improving credit flow even as figures suggest total reluctance on the part of the bankers to provide loans to those who joined the list of the eligible courtesy the Central loan waiver,” Tiwari rued. “The official figures are give-away. The chief minister has stated on the floor of the House that that the Central loan waiver in Maharashtra was to the tune of Rs 7,800 crore. When the scheme was announced, Maharashtra was supposed to get Rs 11,680 crore as its share in the waiver pie. This makes it clear that the one-time settlement part was hardly availed of by farmers so the shortfall of Rs 5,000 crore,” explained Tiwari. “Even the education aid is too meagre. Paying for education of children after 12th standard is costly. But the government has agreed to pay for school fee only and not higher education. Also the help promised for critically ill is vague as the government is not ready to accept the most authentic report of March 2006, the first of its kind door-to-door survey in Vidarbha’s six distressed districts which identified nearly a lakh of families with critically ill members. These families hardly get any health care in villages and can’s afford costly medical treatment available in cities. Now the government will undertake a fresh survey for this purpose, Tiwari pointed out. “One of the reasons for BJP retaining power in MP was imaginative scheme like providing Rs 30,000 per family for a farmer’s daughter’s marriage. But Chavan has failed to emulate it. There are 3.3 lakh families with marriageable daughters in the six districts The mass marriage scheme we have has been hit by fraud and privileges class getting the benefits,” Tiwari alleged. “The new package may also meet the same fate as the earlier ones which miserably failed to remove the distress,” he concluded. ====================================================================================================================

Posted by VIDARBHA FARMER SUICIDE at 9:21 PM

No money for food security and no direct aid to 5000 farm widows -Rs.6000 crore farmer package is not relief package but cooperative banks rehabilitation package

Nagpur-31st December 2008

In letter to Mahashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti has strongly criticised Rs.6208 crore farmers relief package as there is no direct help to dying cotton growers of suicideprone six districts of west vidarbha .Rs.6208 crore so called farmers relief package has been purely rehabilitation and revival package for cooperative banks run by politicians who rule the state government. This package is as ridiculous as earlier one as it failed to give simple food security to 4.24 lacs distress farm families and direct help for daughters marriage of 3.3 lacs farm families in difficulty and despair which is main cause despair and distress ,kishore tiwari informed today.

Provision for free education up to 12^th standard is not enough ,there is problem of higher education in professional colleges due to very higher fees to vidarbha distressed farmers hence it should revised .as free health care is concern the resurvey of illness and then free treatment is not serious effort as new identified patients will be political leaders as they become beneficiaries all other schemes,we need free health care to all farmers in vidarbha ,tiwari demanded.

5000 Vidarbha Farm Widows Completely Ignored

West vidarbha has reported morethan 5000 farm suicides and administration has rejected most of cases for compensation and it is grate need of hour to financial help to these dying widow’s families and it was expected that this Rs.6208 crore package will spare at least Rs.2 crore for the same but babus failed to look this serious problem too,tiwari added.

it is highly suspected that this relief package is not targeted to give any benefit to these dying farmers because main demand to waive of crop loan up to Rs.50,000 irrespective of land holding of dry land farmers under agrarian crisis of west vidarbha has not been covered more over it has been designed to cover the prosperous farmers of west maharashtra as it happened in last Rs.71,000 crore loan waiver ,tiwari allged

‘we welcome the decision of providing health and education security to distress farmers and but food security and rural employment support to all identified critical cases of west vidarbha are till missing in this package as no relief is there in new relief package and this will keep these dying farm community out of relief net. We will move to high court against this bogus relief packages which are turning to be hoax and eyewash’ Kishor Tiwari informed today.

Thanking you,

Yours faithfully,

For VIDARBHA JAN ANDOLAN SAMITI

KISHORE TIWARI

PRESIDENT

kishortiwari@gmail.com

contact-09422108846

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Govt.of maharshta spends zero rupees on minority in this fiscal year-mumbaimirror reports

Govt.of maharshta spends zero rupees on minority in this fiscal year

http://www.mumbaimirror.com/article/2/200812232008122302320951714836734/Zero#ftr2

Zero

That's what the Deshmukh administration spent on Minority Affairs out of the allocated Rs 167 crore. Other departments too spent only an average of 34 per cent of their funds in eight months

Deshmukh has left Ashok Chavan with the tough task of utilising the remaining 66% funds in less than 4 months Looks like development schemes in the state took a back seat in the last eight months. In the current financial year, the Democratic Front government spent just 34 per cent of the Rs 29,000 crore annual plan funds, leaving Chief Minister Ashok Chavan with the rather difficult job of utilising the remaining 66 per cent in less than four months. Else, the funds will lapse. Department-wise figures of government spending in the financial year 2008-09, available with this newspaper, reveal some shocking facts. The Minorities Development Department, the brainchild of former CM Vilasrao Deshmukh, failed to utilise a single rupee of the allocated Rs 167 crore until December 15. Out of the 26 government departments, only the Food & Civil Supplies department utilised 100 per cent of the allocated funds. The department, held by NCP man Sunil Tatkare until December 7, has now been given to minister Ramesh Bang. The School Education department, which was under former Minister Vasant Purke, has utilised 72 per cent of the funds allocated to it. Now, Purke has been dropped from the ministry. The Home Department, which was with R R Patil until December 1, could use only 24 per cent of the Rs 44 crore allocated to it. Departments such as Environment, Medical Education, Technical Education, Tourism & Cultural Affairs, Revenue & Forests, Law & Judiciary, Housing and Employment & Self Employment have not been able to utilise more than 10 per cent of their funds. The Minorities Development Department (0 per cent) and Housing Department (6.4 per cent), which were with were with Deshmukh, miserably failed to utilise their funds. If utilisation of funds in departments handled by Congress and NCP ministers is compared, the NCP men are slightly ahead of their Congress counterparts. Departments like PWD (32 per cent funds utilised), Water Resources (38 per cent), Rural Development (34 per cent), Finance & Planning (10 per cent), Tribal Development (31 per cent) and Water Supply (47 per cent) are with the NCP. Under Congress control, the figures are General Administration Department (72 per cent funds utilised), Urban Development Department (36 per cent), Housing (6.4 per cent), Industry (75 per cent), Revenue & Forests (11 per cent), Agriculture & PDF (25 per cent), Law & Judiciary (0 per cent), Social Justice (41 per cent), Co-operation (30 per cent) and Women & Child Welfare (56 per cent). If the overall figures are compared, most of the departments have not been able to spend more than 34 per cent of the allocation. Now, they have only three-and-a-half months left to spend the rest. Government officials fear that most of departments will now go on a spending spree, compromising the overall quality of development works. Many departments have been known to submit their bills on March 31, the last day of the financial year, to show that they have utilised their funds.

Posted by VIDARBHA FARMER SUICIDE a