UPA BUDGET-2009-Need to bail out vidarbha dry-land farmers-TIMES Report

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Need to bail out dry-land farmers Ramu Bhagwat, TNN http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-4711452 * Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti’s Kishore Tiwari sees 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. 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,” feels Tiwari. “Bigger allocation to the sector could help achieve the target of 4% growth rate in agriculture. **Besides, the government should pump more funds into rural system restoration, NREG and National Rural Health Mission and tighten up the delivery system as except couple of states like AP and TN, others have done poorly,” cautions Tiwari. 28 Jun 2009, 0527 hrs IST, Ramu Bhagwat, TNN NAGPUR: Despite a general perception that enough has been done in last couple of years for farmers by way of a massive loan waiver schemes, fertiliser subsidy and National Rural Employment Guarantee schemes, farm economists and activists see an urgent need for major hike in public investment in agriculture sector to arrest its sagging growth rate. “Industrialists with powerful lobbying apparatus have over the years put pressure on the government to divert resources. Agriculture is taken for granted with public investment in it very low for the last one decade. This has directly stunted agricultural growth to around 2%. Even after the recent victory of the UPA government, the industry has prevailed on shifting focus to creamy areas like infrastructure building. But the finance minister Pranab Mukherjee would do a great service to a vast majority of the country if he increases allocation to agriculture,” said noted city economist Shrinivas Khandewale. “Within the sector, top priority should go to dry-land areas like Vidarbha 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. This, in turn, has led to foodgrains shortage, costly imports and consumers paying through the nose for pulses and cereals. Set up in 2007, the National Rain-fed Authority exists only on paper at least in Maharashtra. It should be activated with influx of funds and projects to save the dryland farmer,” stressed Khandewale. A streamlined credit service and setting up of an institutional structure for farm inputs, technological needs also figure high on his wish-list. Shetkari Sanghatana leader Vijay Jawandhiya agrees with the views of Khandewale. “Well-to-do farmers in irrigated lands get more attention and reap benefits of fertiliser and canal water subsidies. On the other hand, more than 60% of farmers who live on drylands are getting little from the state as well as the Centre. On the lines of European Union, India should also switch to peracre subsidy at least for non-irrigated cultivation. If the dryland farmer is not bailed out, the younger generation will abandon the occupation.” Rather paradoxically, Jawandhiya has written to the finance minister to impose income tax on agriculture. “The industry also paints the picture that agriculture is favoured as it is spared of income tax. Once it is taxed, the Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti’s Kishore Tiwari sees 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. 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,” feels Tiwari. “Bigger allocation to the sector could help achieve the target of 4% growth rate in agriculture. Besides, the government should pump more funds into rural system restoration, NREG and National Rural Health Mission and tighten up the delivery system as except couple of states like AP and TN, others have done poorly,” cautions Tiwari.

विदार्भाच्या हजारो शेतकरी विधावांचा वेदना -हजारो कलावतींच्या पुनर्वसनासाठी वी.ज.स .घेणार पुढाकार-सकाळ वृत्तसेवा

Saturday, June 27, 2009

विदार्भाच्या हजारो शेतकरी विधावांचा वेदना -हजारो कलावतींच्या पुनर्वसनासाठी वी.ज.स .घेणार पुढाकार-सकाळ वृत्तसेवा

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हजारो कलावतींच्या पुनर्वसनासाठी घेणार पुढाकार

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Saturday, June 27th, 2009 AT 8:06 PM

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यवतमाळ - मागील पाच वर्षांत पश्‍चिम विदर्भात सहा हजारांवर शेतकरी आत्महत्या झाल्या. परंतु, सरकारी अधिकाऱ्यांनी मदतीला पात्र असूनही आत्महत्या कमी झाल्या, हे दाखविण्यासाठी त्यांना मदतीपासून वंचित ठेवले. जळका येथील एक शेतकरी विधवा कलावती बांदूरकर हिला 25 लाखांची मदत देऊन ही समस्या सुटणार नाही. विदर्भातील हजारो कलावतींसारख्या सर्वच शेतकरी विधवांचे पुनर्वसन करण्याचा एकमुखी निर्धार बोथबोडन येथे शेतकरी विधवांच्या पुनर्वसन कार्यक्रमात गुरुवारी (ता. 25) करण्यात आला.
दिल्लीच्या अमित जोसेफ यांच्या बिजनेस कम्युनिटी फाउंडेशनतर्फे बोथबोडन येथील बेबी विनोद राठोड, बेबी चरण जाधव, शोभा नामदेव पवार, शांताबाई चंद्रभान वरणकार, यमुना नंदलाल राठोड, शेवीबाई रूपा राठोड, शांताबाई शंकर वाघमारे, संपत्तीबाई तारासिंग राठोड, अनसूया रामचंद्र देवकर, विमल विष्णू चव्हाण, फुलीबाई हरी जाधव, अनिता मनोज राठोड, अनसूया सुखदेव राठोड, कमलबाई गणपत रिंगणे, नाजीबाई देवा राठोड या 15 शेतकरी विधवांना प्रत्येकी 500 रुपये महिन्याचे पहिल्या हप्त्याचे वाटप बोथबोडन येथील सरपंच बाळू चव्हाण यांच्या हस्ते करण्यात आले.
यावेळी विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समितीचे अध्यक्ष किशोर तिवारी, समितीचे सचिव मोहन जाधव, झरी तालुकाप्रमुख सुरेश बोलेनवार, भाऊराव आडे, कवडू शेळके, हरिचंद चव्हाण, बाबूलाल राठोड उपस्थित होते. विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समितीने अनेक स्वयंसेवी संस्थाशी संपर्क करून शेकडो विधवांना आर्थिक मदत सुरू केली आहे. या प्रकल्पाचा एक भाग म्हणून बोथबोडन येथे हा कार्यक्रम आयोजित करण्यात आला होता. यावेळी बोथबोडनचे सरपंच बाळू चव्हाण यांनी बोथबोडनला कॉंग्रेसचे महासचिव राहुल गांधी यांनी भेट देऊनसुद्घा येथील शेतकऱ्यांच्या जमिनीच्या मालकीचा प्रश्‍न अजूनही सुटला नसल्याचे सांगितले. आत्महत्याग्रस्त शेतकरी विधवांचा विचार करीत असताना सध्या बोथबोडनसारख्या आपत्तीग्रस्त खेड्यात शेकडो निराधार, विधवा, वृद्ध व परित्यक्ता महिला असून, त्यांच्यासाठीसुद्घा आर्थिक मदतीच्या कार्यक्रमाची योजना अत्यंत आवश्‍यक आहे. हा प्रश्‍नही मार्गी लावण्याचे आवाहन सरपंच बाळू चव्हाण यांनी केले. सरकारने सर्व शेतकरी व शेतमजुरांच्या विधवांना अंत्योदय योजनेचा लाभ देण्याचे आदेश देऊनही अजून पश्‍चिम विदर्भातील हजारो विधवांना अंत्योदय योजना लागू करण्यात आली नसल्याची खंत यावेळी विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समितीचे नेते किशोर तिवारी यांनी व्यक्त केली. समाजातील या निराधार व उपेक्षितांसाठी विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समिती लवकरच जनआंदोलन सुरू करणार असल्याची माहिती समितीचे सचिव मोहन जाधव यांनी दिली.

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Posted by VIDARBHA JAN ANDOLAN SAMITI at 10:43 PM

‘1,020m people go hungry in world’-VJAS Draws PM’s Attention to Impending Food Crisis-Times Report

‘1,020m people go hungry in world’

VJAS Draws PM’s Attention to Impending Food Crisis

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Nagpur: Drawing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s attention to the recent United Nation’s Food and Agricultural Organization report on impending food crisis in the world’ farmers activist group Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti (VJAS) has demanded that special measures like National Food Security Mission betaken in suicide prone areas of Vidarbha.“Ever since a majority of farmers in west Vidarbha shifted to mono crop cultivation of cotton or soyabean, there has been a severe food shortage leading to high number of suicide in the six districts of the region,” Kishor Tiwari of VJAS said. According to him the area of land under cash crop cultivation has increased to almost 95% in recent years and that is one of the main reasons of increasing distress and debt due to high cost of cultivation of these4 cash crop.

VJAS has been demanding introduction of food security mission in west Vidarbha t ensure provision of essential food grains to farmers to save them from taking own lives at times of such distress. Quoting the FAO report, Tiwari said that world hunger is projected to reach a historic high in 2009 with 1,020 million people going hungry every day. The increase in hunger is not the consequence of poor global harvests but is caused by the world economic crisis that has resulted in lower incomes and increased unemployment.

This has reduced access to food by the poor according to the UN agency. The FAO reported has also touched on the root causes of agrarian crisis among small and marginal dry land farmers involved in non food crop cultivation. FAO director general Jacques Diouf has said in the reported “A dangerous mix of the global economic slowdown combined with stubbornly high food proce in many countries has pushed some 100 million more people than last year into chronic hunger crisis – affecting one sixth of all of humanity– poses a serious rusk to world peace and security.Almost all of the world’s undernourished live in developing countries. In Asia and the Pacific, an estimated 642 million people are suffering from chronic

hunger, in Sub-Saharan Africa 265 million; in Latin America and the Caribbean 53 million in the Near East and North Africa 42 million; and in developed countries 15 million in total.

Tiwari has also slammed the Maharashtra government for its failure to implement the Narendra Jadhav committee report. “The report was accepted by the state legislature in December last year, but till date the government has not prepared any action plan to implement it,” lamented Tiwari. Jadhav has recommended special measures for 4.34 lakh severely distressed families in the six affected districts and urgent healthcare facilities for 92,000 families whose members are suffering from serious ailments and draining the farm incomes. “Instead of giving a serious thought to his findings, the UPA government has rewarded Jadhav by giving him the post of Planning’s Commission member,” Tiwari alleged.

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Govt Siting Idle on Jadhav Panel Report-Hitavada Reports

Govt Siting Idle on Jadhav Panel Report

Staff Reporter:

LAUNCHING a scathing attack on the State Government for siting idle in report of committee under Pune University Vice-Chancellor Dr. Narendra Jadhav, which was submitted to State Cabinet on August 6, 2008, farmers leaders have demanded immediate implementation of recommendations made by committee.

The one man committee report had stated that it is the relatively better off western Maharashtra region and not the crisis plagued Vidarbha region of the State that has benefited most from Government loan waivers Farmers in western Maharashtra got 53.8 per cent of the loan waiver’ those in Vidarbha just the report also outlined an action plan and various recommendations to be implemented for the betterment of the farming community in vidarbha.

“Even after a period of over 11 months of the committee submitting its

report, the State Government has not made any implementation. This has spread a wide-spread discontent amongst the farmers of Vidarbha. It also reveals the

earnestness of Government toward upliftment of farmers in Vidarbha,” statedVJS’ Santosh Naitam.

Naitam has also denounced Government’s decision to appoint Dr. Jadhav as Member of Planning Commission of India. “Is it an effort on the part of Government to relocate him. Government should jave shown same eagerness to implement his report in Vidarbha,” Naitam said.

To press for demand, the organization has also sent a memorandum to Chief Minister Ashok Chavhan recently. The letter also demanded hike in MSP of farm produce in Vidarbha like Soyabean, millet, Tur, Jowar etc. “Production of crops like cotto and soybean was too low in the region last year. Private traders offered too low returns for the produce and in the absence of any help from the Government, the farmers were left with no option but to sell the produce to such private players even at substantial low rates. When the yielding season reached its peak last year, the Government stopped purchase of may

crops depriving the farmers of benefits of MSPs. This should not happen at least this season, “Naitam said.

In the letter, VJS has said that it has been monitoring that it has been monitoring Vidarbha farmer’s suicide and agrarian crisis since 1999. “If we look at net result of relief packages worth crores of rupees it is clear that all of them have failed to stop on going farm suicides on Vidarbha. More over it failed to provide any help or healing touch to millions of distressed farmers in Vidarbha”. Govt has formed high-power Committee headed by Dr. Jadhav to examine shortcomings in Farmer’s Packages under implementation and to suggest remedial measures to stop farmer suicides. Committee had admitted that the packages have totally failed to provide any immediate help to those farmer’s families in the category of ‘farmers Families in Extreme Distress’ (total families4,34,291) and ‘Farmers Families with Extreme Illness’ (total families 92,456),

though the complete data of which is available in the Report of Survey conducted by Government o Maharashtra in June, 2006. It is required that Govt must act, otherwise it will be too late to revive collapsed social structure in crises ridden rural Vidarbha.

Dr. Jadhav Committee report findings

Dr. NARENDRA Jadhav Committee was set up to examine implementation of relief packages to distressed farmers and report on the overall agricultural scenario in the State. It submitted its report in August 2008 stating that it was relatively better off western Maharashtra region and not the crisis plagued Vidarbha region of the State that has benefited most from government loan waivers. Committee has also been critical on the manner in which loan waivers have been disbursed and quality of government aid packages. Its finding are as follows;

. Farmers in western Maharastra got 53.8 per cent of the loan waiver; those in Vidarbha just 20.01 per cent.

. Farming has become unprofitable in Vidarbha due to lack of irrigation inadequate credit for farmers, lack of non-agriculture related activities to supplement farm incomes, and harassment by money lenders.

. Sufficient awareness was not created among farmers regarding the aid packages.

. 40 per cent of important posts in the Agriculture Department remain

vacant.

. No independent entity to implement aid packages result in lack of

coordination among departments.

. Several irregularities, such as middlemen accepting commissions, in relief disbursement.

. Poor implementation of aid, such as mulch animals being given to farmers without ascertaining whether they have the means to maintain the animals and without providing veterinary support.

. Sub-standard agricultural implements bought, and at higher than market rates.

Two more distressed farmers commits suicide in vidarbha : VJAS urged Maharashtra Govt. to tackle fresh crop loan crisis seriously

Nagpur- Dated 23^rd June 2009

Last night around midnight Vinod Rathode. farm activist of village Wagdara called VJAS office to inform that one Mangal Chavan (age 32) consumed pesticide and has been decleared dead in V.N.Govt. medical college yavatmal same time Dr.Arvind Bhoyar social worker of village Gawara brought dead body of one credit starved cotton farmer from tribal community named Parasram Dhurve (age 30) who committed suicide two hour after mangal chavan of wagdara killed himself .“ both farmers are victim of gostile policies of bankers and this is single of restart of farm suicide spiral in vidarbha.our repeated request to administration to restore the baking credit network to credit starved farmers of west vidarbha is being ignored resulting these farm suicides” informed Kishore Tiwari of Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti(VJAS) told to media persons in Pandharkawada today.

“suicide of Parasram Dhurve is case of victimization ,he was going to State Bank of India Patanbori branch daily since 4^th june after the announcement of bankers before protesting farmers that all illigiable farmers will be given fresh crop loan but bank officials have made life of tribal farmers miserable as they asked these innocent farmers to bring NOC of farmers adjutant to Parasram Dhurve ,this is nonsense and ridiculous,we will press for criminal action against erring bank officials of State Bank of India Patanbori branch ” Dr.Arvind Bhoyar noted social worker of Gawara informed today . “Parasram Dhurve is not single case of victimization,there are hundreds of credit starved farmers being till tortured by bankers and are being forced to kill themselves” Dr.Arvind Bhoyar added.

“Mangal Chavan is the second farm suicide of our village but all farmers of my village wagdara are in debt trap and non of cotton farmers are doing well ,loan waiver has not changed the economic condition of wagdara moreover P.M. relief package has shown any sign of relief in my area,farmers are till dying inspite of toll claims of Maharashtra Govt.” Vinod Rathode. farm activist of village Wagdara informed .

Earlier the first victim of vidarbha farm credit crisis was reported last week when one Lakhama Namdeo Tekam tribal farmer of village Khusal-Wagholi in yavatmal district of vidarbha committed suicide due debt trap and failed to get fresh crop loan from his coopretative bank. “ after lakham tekam suicide till date nobody from administration has visited our village ,the ground situation has been very grim as banker have till adte not resumed crop loan disbursement more over delayed monsoon has added further worries to us” informed Prem Rathode village sarpanch.

“we will got to door of each farmers to give them fresh crop loan ,NABARD who announced after prime minister package is not even visiting the vidarbha ” Kishore tiwari of VJAS informed as per District Administration reports now it’s official crop loan disbursement is less than 50% in comparison to last year disbursement .there is huge cry all vidarbha fresh crop loan to all illegible farmers after loan waiver but bankers are facing liquidity crunch due insufficient fund sanctioned by apex bank NABARD as agriculture credit has been reduced to 40% in comparison to agriculture credit to given to farmers in year 2006 after Prime Minister of India Dr.Man Mohan Singh visited vidarbha and announced to relief package of Rs.3750/- crore .

‘After the interest waiver of Rs.1080 crore in 2006 followed by complete loan waiver of Rs.71,000 crore in march 2008 added to maharashtra Govt.’s extended loan waiver of Rs.6208 crore in December 2008 ,it was told that in vidarbha at least 3 million farmers will get farm credit from financial institutes but non-professional attitude and non-cooperation of bankers the complete exercise of loan waiver has been failed and till date only 20% illigibale farmers could manage to get credit from institutional finance owned by state .we demand serious attention of Govt. over farm credit crisis in west vidarbha ” KIshore tiwari of VJAS urged in press note.

Please arrange to release this press note

Kishor Tiwari

President

Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti

vjasamiti@gmail.com

kishortiwari.blogspot.com

contact-09422108846

.

डाक्टर नरेद्र जाधव यांचे लागली वरनी योज्जना आयोगावर मात्र विदर्भचे शेतकरी वार्यावर -Vidarbha TIMES

Bt cotton has failed in Vidarbha: study

Axis of Logic

Finding Clarity in the 21st Century Mediaplex

Science/Nature

Bt cotton has failed in Vidarbha: study
+ YouTube video

By Special Correspondent

hindu.com

Tuesday, Jun 16, 2009
http://axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/Article_56043.shtml

`Its high input costs have increased farmers' indebtedness'

The hybrid Bt.cotton

MUMBAI: A new study on the introduction of Bt cotton in Vidarbha reveals that it has failed in the region. Suman Sahai, Director of Gene Campaign, told journalists on Wednesday that despite specific knowledge that Bt cotton would not work in rainfed areas, the government had introduced it in Vidarbha. The result was that in an area with a history of indebtedness, the high input costs of Bt cotton had increased indebtedness. The study had shown that 70 per cent of small farmers had already lost their landholdings as collateral for loans that they could never repay.

The Gene Campaign study, which will be ready in four to five weeks, consisted of a technology adoption study to look at how Bt cotton was adopted in Vidarbha. It is based on interviews with around 500 cotton farmers from Amravati and Yavatmal districts. Preliminary data shows that farmers who had adopted Bt cotton had a net lower income than non-Bt cotton farmers.

Dr. Sahai said that Bt cotton did better in irrigated areas and that it was a mistake to introduce it in an area like Vidarbha. It did not perform well in the region because inputs costs were high, including the cost of the seeds, there was an abundance of spurious seeds and the technology had been adopted without any preparation of the farmers for the complex management practices that were needed. Seed dealers, she said, encouraged farmers to buy far more fertilizer and pesticide than was needed, thereby raising their input costs. They promised farmers that they would get between 12 to 15 quintals per acre when the actual production was in the range of three to five quintals per acre. At the same time cotton prices came down with the import of Chinese cotton. The study reveals that on average, farmers who adopted Bt cotton lost Rs. 1,725 per acre. "Such economics cannot work," she said.

The study revealed that many farmers adopted Bt cotton because they believed it was a "government seed" and did not know that it was privately produced and marketed. They also accepted it because the government was actively promoting the technology. While local officials, like the Agriculture Commissioner of Amravati, were aware of the failure of Bt cotton, the state agriculture department continued to promote it. "The role of the government has been irresponsible and damaging," said Dr. Sahai.

Dr. Sahai also pointed that Bt was a limited time technology. In the United States, where it has been introduced 10 years ago, it had already developed resistance. This was also happening in China. In India, she said, "we are seeing resistance earlier because of rampant proliferation of illegal seeds and the wrong techniques being used."

The Bt technology was not need driven but supply driven, said Dr. Sahai.

She stressed that cotton farmers had not demanded it and that in any case, the expression of the Bt cotton gene worked for only 90 days while Indian cotton took 160 days to mature. In other words, during the crucial period when the crop needed protection from pests, it remained unprotected.

Side effects

The study had also collected anecdotal evidence about other side effects of Bt cotton on plants and animals.

For instance, cattle deaths had been reported in areas where they grazed in harvested Bt cotton fields, women working in cotton fields had complained of rashes, and there were reports that mango trees were not flowering.

Despite such reports, the government had not conducted tests to establish whether any of this could be attributed to the introduction of Bt cotton. The impact of cotton oil, extracted from Bt cotton, on human and animal health had also not been considered.

Dr. Sahai said it was essential to conduct safety tests and also put in place a regulatory system before any new technology is introduced.

Hindu.com

Also see YouTube video

Bt Cotton adoption in Vidarbha

Centre asks MADC to explain favouritism in land allotment

Centre asks MADC to explain favouritism in land allotment

16 Jun 2009, 0638 hrs IST, Ashish Roy, TNN

NAGPUR: The Union ministry of corporate affairs has sought an explanation from Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC) regarding a complaint lodged by the Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti (VJAS). The samiti has alleged that there was favouritism by MADC in allotment of land to big companies, including allotment of land before it was acquired by MADC and causing loss to the exchequer by giving land at discounted prices.

MADC, a state government-run company, is developing Mihan and a special economic zone (SEZ) near the city. The assistant registrar of companies, Mumbai, has said in a notice sent to MADC that the complaint lodged by VJAS prima facie shows that "there is material indicative of violation of Companies Act, 1956."

The ministry has warned in the notice that if it does not receive a reply or if the reply received was not relevant to the points raised by the complainant, or was haphazard or evasive in nature, then it would have no option but to take legal action against the company and its directors.

VJAS president Kishor Tiwari has alleged that MADC exhibited favouritism in allotment of land to big companies. Many companies were given land at throwaway prices, thus causing huge loss to the public exchequer, Tiwari alleged. He also claimed that allotment of land was started before completion of the acquisition process, and land was 'reserved' for certain companies without following due process of law.

Tiwari has said that many of these companies also raised bank loans amounting to crores of rupees by showing ownership of land allotted by MADC, even though at that time MADC itself had not become the lawful owner of the land.

Incidentally, land in SEZ was allotted to First City project of Reatox Ltd, which was later disallowed by Ministry of Commerce.

VJAS claimed that most IT companies got land in the SEZ disproportionate to their requirements. Most IT companies do not need more than 20 hectares, however MADC allotted them between 50 and 350 hectares., Tiwari said.

Tiwari also charged MADC vice chairman and MD R C Sinha with joining the board of directors of Maytas Ltd, which was owned by a son of Satyam chief B Rama Raju. Satyam had been allotted 330 hectares by MADC. Many of the companies that received land from MADC too had started giving contracts to Maytas, said Tiwari. Sinha was also a director in Ambuja and Indu Projects, which were direct and indirect beneficiaries of Mihan project.

Tiwari alleged that MADC officials were working in collusion with political bigwigs of the region and the livelihood of hundreds of farmers had been destroyed by the company.

MADC vice chairman R C Sinha said that he would send a reply to the assistant registrar of companies when he receives a communication in this regard.

GOVT ORDERED PROBE MADC MANAGING DIRECTOR R.C. SINHA’S ROLE AS CHAIRMAN OF MAYTAS

VIDARBHA JANANDOLAN SAMITI

11, Trisaran Society, In front of Somalwar School, Khamla, Nagpur – 440 025 (M.S)

Tel No. (07235) 227387/ 227564 Mob No. 9422108846 / 9822593943

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Ref: VJAS/PMO/176/09 Date : 13/06/2009

PRESS NOTE : MADCL - MIHAN PROJECT ENQUIRY ORDERED

GOVT. OF INDIA’s MINISTRY OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS ORDERED PROBE AGAINST MADCL- MIHAN PROJECT FOR GROSS MISUSE OF POSITION & POWER BY ITS CHIEF R.C. SINHA & OTHER DIRECTORS CAUSING LOSS TO the TUNE OF CRORES OF RUPEES !

SATYAM’S-MAYTAS COMPANY CHAIRMAN R.C. SINHA’S ROLE AS VICE-CHAIRMAN & MANAGING DIRECTOR OF MADC LTD. UNDER PROBE BY GOVT. OF INDIA.

MINISTRY OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS ASKED MADCL TO EXPLAIN –

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR DIRECT LOSS OF REVENUE TO THE TUNE OF CRORES OF RUPEES GOVERNMENT / PUBLIC FUNDS ?

ARE THESE NOT SERIOUS CASES OF CORRUPTION & MISUSE OF POWERS BY DIRECTORS LIKE SINHA ?

ACTION INITIATED ON THE COMPLAINT OF VIDARBHA JAN ANDOLAN SAMITI ALLEGING NEXUS BETWEEN POLITICIANS-SATYAM’S RAJU & MIHAN-MADC’S VICE-CHAIRMAN & MANAGING DIRECTOR MR. R.C. SINHA, WHO WAS THEN CHIEF OF SATYAM’S-MAYTAS COMPANY TOO.

Nagpur, Dated 13^th June, 2009,

Taking serious cognizance of complaint of Shri Kishore Tiwari, President - Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti against most serious issue of corruption & misuse of power by the Directors & other persons involved in “Maharashtra Airport Development Authority Ltd.” (MADCL) – MIHAN Project in the name of development & infrastructure building which is being projected as so called “Global & Vision Project” of Vidarbha, Govt. of India has now ordered detailed enquiry through Ministry of Corporate Affairs against the Public Limited Company MADCL which controls MIHAN Project.

Taking the information in the complaint and further documents submitted by Mr. Tiwari during personal hearing as strong prima facie evidence, then Union Minister for Corporate Affairs – Mr. Prem Chand Gupta, prior to dissolution of 14^th Loksabha, made it a point to have the detailed investigation in the entire affairs of MADCL & MIHAN Project due to large scale corruption-misuse of power-favoritism which caused loss of revenue to the tune of crores of rupees of the public exchequer by the Directors like Mr. Sinha and other high profile IAS Officials named on the Board of MADCL. There are several Ministers being Ex-office bearers of the said company and perhaps this might be first case involving prosecution of the top IAS officials alongwith Ministers on the Board of Directorate of MADCL, if found guilty in the enquiry.

Ministry of Corporate Affairs vide its directions has now ordered detailed enquiry through Registrar of Company (ROC) at Mumbai under whom the powers of Criminal Prosecution has been delegated by Govt. of India. The affairs of said Public Limited Company - MADCL are controlled by ROC Mumbai which has been registered as a Public Limited Company with the said ROC under the provisions of Companies Act, 1956. There are series of allegation of gross violations of the provisions of the Companies Act & entire affairs of MADCL is running like a private shop owned by one single handed person, all contrary to the provisions of the Companies Act and the Corporate cultural.

The detailed enquiry has been ordered against MADCL on the basis of the following complaint made by Mr. Tiwari of which details are as under :-

i) Government of Maharashtra under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister of the State has formed a company named “Maharashtra Airport Development Authority Ltd.” (MADCL) under the provisions of Companies Act, 1956 in which many Government / Public Undertakings have been forced to contribute as share capital. Ex-Bureaucrat-Mr. R.C. Sinha, Retd I.A.S. was made Vice-Chairman & Managing Director of MADC with many top ranking IAS Officials were named as Directors on BOD of MADC Ltd., which started implementing big project in the name of MIHAN Near Nagpur and started projecting the said project as “Global & Vision Project” of Vidarbha.

ii) Under the disguise of Global Infrastructure Development in Vidarbha so called Vision Project – MIHAN – SEZ - HEALTH CITY – LOGISTIC TERMINAL- TOWNSHIP, ETC. were proposed by MADC Ltd.. Hundreds of Hectares of cultivatable agricultural land of poor farmers was put to an acquisition under the Land Acquisition Act. Even though, land acquisition award pertaining to entire land is yet to be passed, MADC Ltd, VC & MD Mr. Sinha started allotment & sale of prime land to the Multinational Corporates in a mysterious & hurried manner, even in pre-primary stage of the project.

iii) The Corporate-Multinational Beneficiary of such land allotment are as under:-

Satyam – 330 Hectares, HCL – 140 Hectares,

Wipro – 117 Hectares, Vipul & Karamchand – 50 Hectares,

Reatox – 60 Hectares,

HCL – 31 Hectares,

SICOL Logistics Gupta Coal – 80 Hectares,

Ambuja Realities – 55 Hectares,

Kolland – 100 Hectares,

L&T Infotex – 50 Hectares,

TCS – 54 Hectares,

Ascend – 60 Hectares,

DFL – 140 Hectares,

Boing – 45 Hectares,

Health City – 40 Hectares,

MRO – 72 Hectares,

Residential First City Project of REATOX Ltd., a company of BJP Leader, – 360 Hectares,

iv) The bare perusal of the beneficiary reveal that the allotment has been done to the favoured without even completion of acquisition of land & ownership was reserved illegally without following due process of law. The irregularity were committed while allotting SEZ Land to the residential project of First City of Reatox Company, which was later disallowed by SEZ Board of Ministry of Commerce, Government of India, but the prime land was sold to many parties illegally and unauthorisedly. Even Bank Loan to the tune of crores of ruppes were raised by such companies under the disguise of ownership of land allotment by MADC. On the contrary, MADC was still to become lawful owner of the land at the time of such allotment made to the beneficiary company. This all has completed in a gross irregular manner contrary to the provisions of the MADC aims and objectives and the Rules governing disposal of land by the Government controlled companies in which Chief Minister is involved as a Chairman of MADC Ltd.

v) It is also matter of great surprise that most of the IT Companies in MIHAN Project have got huge chunk of land disproportionate to their requirement for IT Projects which generally requires very small land of 10 to 20 Acres, whereas in MIHAN Project, the beneficiaries have got several hectares of land in few bucks, thanks to the element of corruption, favouritism, misuse of power and position by the Big Wigs in MADC Ltd. and the Politicians who all are helping the project in turn getting benefits from Corporates at the cost of poor farmers who lost their valuable lands and means to live respectful lives. The entire process of huge allotment of land on throw away prices to the Big Corporates is a matter of great concern. It is quite strange that MADC sold the pieces of huge chunk of land to Corporates in the primary stage itself, without even recovering any development cost of the project including basic cost of land. If we calculate the cost of acquisition of land, development, cost of infrastructure, environment and other overheads, even lay man can analyse how costing / pricing has been ignored by MADC Authorities while making allotment of land to such Corporates, in which Government Funds and Revenue has been lost. This all needs to be thoroughly probed in a sequential & transparent manner to punish the culprits behind the racket.

vi) It is shocking to note that Sometime in 2007, MADC Vice-Chairman & MD Mr. R.C. Sinha managed to become Chairman of Maytas Company, which was promoted by one Mr. Raju, Satyam Managing Director’s son. Interesting Satyam is the beneficiary of the land allotment at MADC’s MIHAN Project. After becoming Chief of BOD of Maytas Company, started playing game of misuse of powers & position. On one hand Mr. Sinha was providing benefits of MADC’s MIHAN Project to Corporates and on the other hand said Corporates were mysteriously giving contracts including EPC Contracts to Maytas company, for the obvious reasons.

vii) The misuse of powers and the positions at the hands of Mr. R.C. Sinha is quite interesting. For e.g. SICOL Logistics got contract for MADC’s Rail & Logistic Terminal, on the other hand Maytas company got EPC Contract worth Rs. 450 Crores from beneficiary thereof. There are several examples like this. Mr. Sinha become Director on the Board of Ambuja & Indu Projects, the direct & indirect beneficiaries of MIHAN Project of MADC Ltd.

viii) Family Members, Relatives, Politicians blessed by VC & MD of MADC Ltd are the direct & indirect beneficiaries of the Corporates to whom MADC favoured at MIHAN Project either in allotment of land or otherwise. If you examine the share holders list and other business interest of these Corporates, the family members, relatives, closed friends and politicians blessed by VC & MD of MADC Ltd., you will come to know the truth.

ix) The assets & properties built by the relatives, family members, closed friends and politicians blessed by VC & MD of MADC Ltd. either in India or overseas specially in United States and Switzerland including Bank accounts in Swiss Bank will speak about amazing wealth acquired disproportionate to the known source of income directly in contravention of the provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act & other penal / criminal provisions of the Laws of the Land including violation of the provisions of Companies Act, 1956, FEMA Act and Income Tax-Wealth Tax Act.

x) In such a way, Vice-Chairman & MD of MADC Mr. R.C. Sinha helped many corporates like Maytas company in which he was Chairman, Ambuja & others in which he or his family members, relatives, close friends were directly or indirectly involved. The misuse of position and power to give benefit and pecuniary advantages to the company in which he has direct personal interest is nothing but a matter of open corruption. The revenue loss caused to the public fund due to favouratism is a great matter of national concern.

xi) The entire affairs at MADC Limited vis-à-vis advantages gained by Maytas and other beneficiary companies directly or indirectly with the influence, misuse of power & position by the person directly involved in both the entities give signals of open corruption which needs to be thoroughly probed and punished under the provisions of Laws of the Land, so that common man could not loose faith & belief in Rule of Law.

xii) Now, the root question raised in our mind that WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR DIRECT LOSS OF REVENUE TO THE TUNE OF CRORES OF RUPEES GOVERNMENT / PUBLIC FUNDS ? ARE THESE NOT SERIOUS CASES OF CORRUPTION & MISUSE OF POWERS BY HIGH PROFILE PERSONS LIKE SINHA ? These vital questions need to be answered by the independent enquiry

xiii) It is highly regretted that lacs of small investors are being cheated in Nagpur under the disguise of investment in land in the name of MIHAN Project benefits. The Political Leaders taken on Rent by the Big Wigs of MIHAN who all are beneficiaries of MIHAN MADC are involved in propagating & deceiving thousands of youths by promising them immediate jobs – employment in MIHAN Project, whereas not a single job-employment is created even after 6 Years of the MADC Ltd. incorporation. Poor & Medium Classes are being exploited by land mafias in the name of MIHAN Project in Vidarbha Area. Farmers are also being cheated by the tall promises given by the Political leaders who all have been virtually Rented/Pocketed by the Big Wigs of MIHAN to whom these leaders have been virtually sold out. The tall promises given by such politicians rented to the Corporates has created a great racket being operated to cheat & loot common man in the name of MIHAN Project & Global Development of Vidarbha Region.

In his complaint, Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti President – Mr. Tiwari further demanded that people will be highly obliged, if Govt. of India orders immediate enquiry ON THE MOST SERIOUS ISSUE OF CORRUPTION & GROSS MISUSE OF POWERS BY MADC LTD VICE-CHAIRMAN & M.D. MR. R.C. SINHA TO GIVE ADVANTAGE TO SATYAM’S-MAYTAS & OTHER COMPANIES BENEFITING DUE TO HIS DIRECT INVOLVEMENT IN AWARD OF CONTRACTS WORTH CRORES OF RUPEES IN LIEU OF HELP RENDERED TO CORPORATES IN MIHAN BY R.C. SINHA.

Taking serious cognizance of the complaint & further representation & documents submitted by Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti, Govt. of India has now ordered detailed enquiry into the affairs of MADCL through Registrar of Company, Mumbai and has sought detailed explaination on the above vital points raised in the complaint by Mr. Tiwari.

In the event if MADCL fails to give satisfactory explaination to ROC on all issues raised in the complaint, ROC will launch Criminal Prosecution under the provisions of Companies Act read with other provisions of Indian Penal Code for alleged violation of the statutory provisions in the functioning of said Public Limited Company MADCL. There are several Ministers being Ex-officio Directors alongwith top IAS official on the board of said company and perhaps this might be first case involving prosecution of the top IAS officials alongwith Ministers on the Board of Directorate of MADCL, if found guilty in the enquiry.

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You are kindly requested to publish above news article in your esteemed newspapers / agency

Yours faithfully,

For VIDARBHA JANANDOLAN SAMITI,

SANTOSH NAITAM

Media Incharge,

Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti

vidarbha farmer's crop loan crisis-Tarun Bharat Nagpur reports

thousand credit starved cotton farmers of suicide effected yavatmal district in West vidarbha are agitating to get fresh crop loan from state owned bank ,even after Govt. of India has given Rs.71,000 crore loan waiver followed by state Govt. Rs.6208 crore loan waiver distressed farmers ,banker are not giving fresh crop loan to illegible farmer through out vidarbha more over cooperative banks are giving only Rs.5000 to as fix amount of crop loan to all fresh new cases irrespective of it,s land holding of farmer due to credit crunch .cotton farmers of vidarbha are demanding fresh credit as per norms fixed by district administration but bankers are ignoring state administration too.

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Vidarbha cotton growers `Daphade wajava’ beat drums for crop loans-Allvoices portal Reports

Vidarbha cotton growers `Daphade wajava’ beat drums for crop loans

http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/3372238

Hunderds of credit starved cotton farmer 'Daphade wajava' beat drums to ‘awaken’ bankers for crop loan before State Bank of India Patanbori branch in Vavatmal district of Maharashtra received bumper response as there is huge unrest due to the delay and obstructions created by banks which has completely nullified the benefits of the loan waiver scheme as most eligible farmers have not been able to get fresh crop loans for the upcoming sowing season

In a novel agitation, distressed farmers in Yavatmal district in urgent need of crop loans has done the drums beati on Wednesday. “This is a desperate attempt to wake up the bank officials who are deep into slumber,” said Kishor Tiwari, President of Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti (VJAS), which is spearheading the cotton growers cause in the Vidarbha region.

Challenging the government ‘s claim that there was no funds crisis and there was no need to panic as co-operative banks were in a position to lend money ,Tiwari pointed out that hundreds of farmers have denied agricultural advance banks are not giving crop loan.

The VJAS alleged that co-operative banks were strapped of cash and cited the instance of a Pusad co-opweative bank which had cleared loan applications of 600 farmers a month ago but has till date not been able to actuality disburse the amount. Similarly farmers at Ner, Patn, Sawaekheda, Jodmoha, Ghatanji and Maregaon who were unable to secure the crop loans from the banks had no alternative but to borrow from private moneylenders as the kharif seadon has arrived and rains are expected anytime now.

The delay and obstructions created by banks have completely nullified benefits of the loan waiver scheme as most eligible farmers are not able to get fresh crop loans. Tiwari demanded that the Congress-led government should get out of the poll celebrations modeand give serious thought to the needs of poor cotton growers of Vidarbha. To complicate matters, he deplored that secretaries of the co-operative societies have resorted to strike bringing to halt processing of loans cases for last two weeks.

The June 4 agitation was to serve as warning, if the banks do not start disbursing loans to farmers after that, we will intensify the agitation,” said an agitating farmer leader Suresh Bolenwar of Pandharkawda in Yavatmal district. After state bank officials agree to give fresh crop loan to all illegible farmers, the farmers suspended 'Daphade wajava' beat drums.

“We will resume drum beating agitation before all cooperatives banks as they have till not started the loan disbursement”, Kishore said. (EOM)

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MALAFIDE & WRONG EXTENSION GIVEN TO CHIEF SECRETARY MR. JOHNY JOSEPH AS CHIEF SECRETARY OF MAHARASHTRA

VIDARBHA JANANDOLAN SAMITI

11, Trisaran Society, In front of Somalwar School, Khamla, Nagpur - 440 025.

Mobile : 9371137653 / 9422108846, E-mail : vinod.j.tiwari@gmail.com

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URGENT REPRESENTATION 29.05.2009

To,

1) The Hon'ble President of India,

Rashtrapati Bhawan,

Govt. of India, New Delhi.

2) The Hon'ble Governor of Maharashtra State,

Rajbhawan, Mumbai.

Sub: MALAFIDE & WRONG EXTENSION GIVEN TO CHIEF SECRETARY MR. JOHNY JOSEPH HAS CAUSED GREAT INJUSTICE ON MARATHI ORIGIN SENIOR MOST TOP

IAS OFFICER MR. YESHWANT BHAVE TO GET PROMOTED AS CHIEF SECRETARY : CONGRESS LED ALLIANCE GOVT. DEPRIVED MARATHI SPEAKING – MAHARASHTRA ORIGIN YESHWANT BHAVE TO LEAD STATE ADMINISTRATION :

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WHERE IS MR. RAJ THAKARE ……? IS THERE ANYBODY TO PROTEST THIS UNLAWFUL ACT OF MAHARASHTRA GOVERNMENT TO CAUSE GREAT INJUSTICE UPON MARATHI SPEAKING – MAHARASHTRA ORIGIN SENIOR MOST TOP IAS OFFICER MR. YESHWANT BHAVE WHO HAS BEEN DENIED AN OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME CHIEF SECRETARY DUE TO ILLEGAL & UNCONSTITUTIONAL EXTENSION GIVEN TO MR. JOHNY JOSEPH IN GREAT VIOLATION OF HIGH COURT ORDERS !

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REQUEST FOR KIND INTERVENTION IN THE MATTER TO PROTECT THE INTEREST OF SENIOR MOST TOP IAS OFFICERS INJUSTICE & INEQUALITY AT THE HANDS OF CONGRESS LED MAHARASHTRA GOVT.

Hon'ble Sirs,

Vidarbha JanAndolan Samiti, a Committee fighting for Social Justice to Common man and the deprived class of the society including farmers and the tribals in the suicide prone Vidarbha Region of Maharashtra State since last 12 years.

We are submitting this Memorandum in connection with the gross breach & violations of the Order of Hon’ble High Court of Mumbai by the Congress led alliance Government by which a great injustice has been caused upon the Marathi speaking – Maharashtra origin Senior Most Top IAS Officer Shri Yeshwant Bhave, presently on deputation as Secretary to Govt. of India in Ministry of Consumer Affairs under the control of NCP Supremo Mr. Sharad Pawar.

Mr. Bhave’s legitimate opportunity of getting promotion to the post of Chief Secretary of Govt. of Maharashtra has been deprived by the Congress led Alliance Govt. ruling Maharashtra State with their Acts of malafide & favoritism by giving illegal extension to superannuated outgoing Chief Secretary Mr. Johny Joseph who was to be retired on 29.05.2009 upon his completing 60 years of the service.

Suprisingly this all happened when the matter of such extensions and re-appointment to the superannuated / retired official is subjudice in the High Court of Mumbai and Division Bench headed by Justice Mr. Bilal Najaki has recently ordered not to give any Extension or
Re-appointed to the superannuated official under the State Government who are going to be retired on the day of their superannuation / retirement. But, contrary to the undertaking given in the Hon’ble High Court & in gross violation of the order / direction given by the Hon’ble Division Bench, Congress led alliance government has gone one step ahead by giving unlawful extension to Mr. Johny Joseph to continue for another six months as a Chief Secretary of the State ignoring the legitimate claim of equality & time scale promotion to the Marathi speaking – Maharashtra origin Senior Most IAS Officer Mr. Yeshwant Bhave to lead State Administration as its new Chief Secretary.

This unfortunate extension given to Mr. Johny Joseph has axed the opportunity of Mr. Bhave forever because he is going to superannuate in the meanwhile on 16-07-2009, though both Mr. Bhave & Mr. Joseph had joined services of Maharashtra Cadre on the same day on 15-07-1972, but Maharashtra Government continued to favor Kerala born Mr. Joseph to give early promotion to him as a Chief Secretary and again favoring him by granting six months extension. In this way Maharashtra has lost opportunity to have Senior Most popular IAS Official - Mr. Yeshwant Bhave as a Chief Secretary of this Marathi Speaking State, lost to the advantage of Kerala domiciled – born official being favored on the post of Chief Secretary continuously since last one decade.

Perhaps Maharashtra is the only State where the originally Kerala born - domiciled IAS Officer are being lobbing & thus favored successively in selection and continuation as a Chief Secretary to lead State Administration. It is quite evident from the fact that previously
Mr. R.M.Premkumar (1968 IAS batch), was promoted as Chief Secretary in the year 2001 and later on another Kerala man Mr. D.M.Shankaran (1970 IAS batch) was chosen as his successor superseding 03 top IAS Officials – Mr. A.Dasgupta (1969 IAS batch) from Mr. R.K.Zutshi (1969 IAS batch), Ms. Kumud Bansal (1969 IAS batch). The same thing happened when Mr. Johny Joseph (1972 IAS Batch), another Kerala born man was appointed as Chief Secretary on 21.04.2007 again superseding Mrs. Rani Jadhav (1970 IAS batch), Dr. A.K. Dua(1971 IAS batch), Mrs. Charu Sohoni (1971 IAS batch), Mrs. Chitkala Zutshi (1970 IAS batch).

Now it is most certain that Maharashtra has lost a Golden Opportunity to see an efficient Senior Most Top IAS Officer Mr. Yeshwant Bhave as its Chief Secretary, perhaps the opportunity for which all citizen of Maharashtra is waiting since long as Mr. Bhave was very popular on all posting he had right from Collector Yavatmal to Industries Commissioner during his tenure of 30 years long service in the Maharashtra Cadre.

This clearly shows that the GOM which earlier in the year 2007 selected the 3rd Sr. Most persons Shri Johny Joseph by superseding, 4 Top Sr. Most IAS officials out of which 3 are Women IAS Officials and now by giving extension to him, Congress led alliance government again caused upon great injustice Senior Most Top IAS Officers like Mr. Bhave followed by other Women Top IAS Officials on Seniority List - Ms. Chandra Iyengar, Ms. Leena Mehendgale, Ms. Sharwaree Gokhale all are going to superannuated in a days to come. The GOM would have selected Women Sr. Most candidate to the post of Chief Secretary in the year 2007 itself and would have given an opportunity to the Welfare State like Maharashtra to have Firstever Women Chief Secretary but the collusive, malafide and bias approach of the Congress Led Govt. has jeopardized the respect and equality to the Women and they have been subjected great humiliation and grave injustice. Similar situation is also on card when other Women Top IAS Officials on Seniority List - Ms. Chandra Iyengar, Ms. Leena Mehendgale, Ms. Sharwaree Gokhale to follow Mr. Yeshwant Bhave, may loose an opportunity to become Chief Secretary once again due to un-thoughtful, malafide and illegal acts of Congress led alliance government in the State of Maharashtra.

We strongly condemn the decision of Maharashtra Govt. to give illegal extension to Mr. Johny Joseph by ignoring the claim of Senior Most Official Mr. Bhave followed by claim of three top Women IAS Officers. We also condemn the decision of Maharashtra Government to ignore order of Hon’ble High Court in regards to the extension and/or re-appointment of retired personnel.

We solicite your humble intervention in the matter as we all need to fight for equality & such Gender Bias against Women, which has been seen and experienced in the present case.

We feel, it's a classic example of inequality and great injustice. All must protest it.

PRAYER :

You are therefore, requested to kindly look into the matter and arrange to redress the hardship at the earliest by recalling the decision taken by the Govt. of Maharashtra to give extension to Mr. Johny Joseph as Chief Secretary, superseding the claim of Mr. Yeshwant Bhave, Sr. Most IAS Officials followed by the claim of 3 Women IAS Sr. Most Officials to become Chief Secretary of the State of Maharashtra.

Hence prayed accordingly.

Thanking you,

Yours faithfully,

for and on behalf of

KISHORE TIWARI,

President - Vidarbha JanAndolan Samiti,

VINOD TIWARI,

Advocate - High Court

"Shivalaya",
11, Trisharan Soceity,
In Front of Somalwar School,
Khamla, NAGPUR-440 025.
MAHARASHTRA-INDIA
PHONE : 09373117653/09373121947
FAX : +91-712-2528494