Mahrashtra Farmers Plights ignored in in Budget 2013

Mahrashtra  Farmers Plights ignored in  in Budget 2013

Nagpur-28th Feb. 2013

Today Indian budget has ignored plights of drought ridden and suicide prone distressed and debt trapped farmers even after CAG has exposed the truth that earlier  mega loan of 2008 has not reached the farmers hence it was expected that UPA-2 last budget before general election will addressed the issue farm debt, poor MSP and diversion to sustainable from so called second green revolution hence 5 million farmers are too much disappointed and want special bailout package  to save dying farming community who are innocent victim of  wrong technology and climate change, .Kishor Tiwari of Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti (VJAS) informed in press release today .

Earlier maharshtra farmers wrote to PC that   Since 2009 onward Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar is claiming record agriculture production but same time Agrarian crisis is India is getting worst resulting increasing farmer suicides as per NCRB figures, mounting agriculture debt and distress, showing significant drop in Agriculture Growth Rate is due to on going wrong policies of Indian Govt. hence agrarian community of  farm suicide hit  vidarbha region of maharashtra has urged Indian finance minister to focus dying farmer of India not Agriculture in the annual Budget 2013-14 in order to save 5 billion rural population who are being victimized in the name of new technology or free trade resulting vertical and horizontal monopoly of few MNCs in Agriculture sector ,tiwari added.

‘Vidarbha is classic example of   Govt.’s wrong policies in the name of second green  revolution where farmer’s are killing themselves @ 8 hourly since June 2005  even after relief packages amounting Rs.10,000 crore and farm loan waiver amounting more than Rs.12,000 crore ,agrarian crisis has not been addressed as all relief packages  were targeted the Agriculture in the name infrastructure or technology but sustainable holistic solution to hardship of distressed dying cotton were not even given any consideration in Indian budgets since 2006 hence we have requested Indian finance minister to re-look   and review prevailing agriculture policies which are forcing farmers to commit suicide even after country in claiming record agriculture production ’ Tiwari added.

‘The basic issues of national agrarian crisis that the rise in cost of chemical inputs , market volatility of rates , wrong loss making MSP and poor intervention   of Govt., free private market impact ,poor rural health services and very costly education  are not being considered as core issue of agrarian crisis hence wrong allocation budget in the agriculture is adding fuel to crisis hence we want complete change in the existing Govt. policies which is promoting MNCs and killing farmers in the name free market economy and globalization hence this appeal ’Tiwari urged.

‘the existing agriculture crop pattern and practices in the crisis hit dry land region of India where farmers suicides are being reported are the product of UPA Govt. policies allowing wrong technology and  toxic chemical methods of cultivation that has crated very complex problem of social ,economic , environmental nature hence sustainable eco-friendly agrarian practices is the only solution which is being demanded as policy change is coming budget but all were not even discussed ’ Tiwari asked.

Vidarbha Farmers urged Govt. focus farmer not Agriculture in Budget 2013

Vidarbha Farmers urged Govt. focus farmer not Agriculture in Budget 2013

Nagpur-25^th Feb. 2013

Since 2009 onward Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar is claiming record agriculture production but same time Agrarian crisis is India is getting worst resulting increasing farmer suicides as per NCRB figures, mounting agriculture debt and distress, showing significant drop in Agriculture Growth Rate is due to on going wrong policies of Indian Govt. hence agrarian community of  farm suicide hit  vidarbha region of maharashtra has urged Indian finance minister to focus dying farmer of India not Agriculture in the annual Budget 2013-14 in order to save 5 billion rural population who are being victimized in the name of new technology or free trade resulting vertical and horizontal monopoly of few MNCs in Agriculture sector ,  Kishor Tiwari of Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti (VJAS) informed in press release today .

‘Vidarbha is classic example of   Govt.’s wrong policies in the name of second green  revolution where farmer’s are killing themselves @ 8 hourly since June 2005  even after relief packages amounting Rs.10,000 crore and farm loan waiver amounting more than Rs.12,000 crore ,agrarian crisis has not been addressed as all relief packages  were targeted the Agriculture in the name infrastructure or technology but sustainable holistic solution to hardship of distressed dying cotton were not even given any consideration in Indian budgets since 2006 hence we have requested Indian finance minister to re-look   and review prevailing agriculture policies which are forcing farmers to commit suicide even after country in claiming record agriculture production ’ Tiwari added.

‘The basic issues of national agrarian crisis that the rise in cost of chemical inputs , market volatility of rates , wrong loss making MSP and poor intervention   of Govt., free private market impact ,poor rural health services and very costly education  are not being considered as core issue of agrarian crisis hence wrong allocation budget in the agriculture is adding fuel to crisis hence we want complete change in the existing Govt. policies which is promoting MNCs and killing farmers in the name free market economy and globalization hence this appeal ’Tiwari urged.

‘the existing agriculture crop pattern and practices in the crisis hit dry land region of India where farmers suicides are being reported are the product of UPA Govt. policies allowing wrong technology and  toxic chemical methods of cultivation that has crated very complex problem of social ,economic , environmental nature hence sustainable eco-friendly agrarian practices is the only solution which is being demanded as policy change is coming budget’ Tiwari asked.    

Stage set for first 'Advantage Vidarbha' conclave-By Indo Asian News Service

Stage set for first 'Advantage Vidarbha' conclave

By Indo Asian News Service | IANS India Private Limited 

http://in.news.yahoo.com/stage-set-first-advantage-vidarbha-conclave-062004273--finance.html

Nagpur, Feb 24 (IANS) Hoping to attract investment of over Rs.15,000 crore, the Maharashtra state government is bending over backwards to make a success of the two-day "Advantage Vidarbha-2013", opening here Monday, officials said.

Hectic last-minute preparations are underway to lay the red carpet for top industrialists like Tata Group Chairman Cyrus Mistry, Raymond Group's Hari Singhania, and Jindal Group vice-chairman and managing director Sajjan Jindal, among others, who are expected to attend the mega-event.

Besides, there is possibility of top officials from Maruti Udyog Ltd and Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd, besides Birla Group's Kumarmangalam Birla, Godrej's Adi Godrej and other big names attending the event, to be inaugurated by Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan.

"Advantage Vidarbha" is being organised jointly by Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation, Maharashtra Airport Development Company, Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation, Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authorityand the City and Industrial Development Corporation.

The aim of the two-day event is to showcase Vidarbha, comprising 11 districts of eastern Maharashtra, with a population of 3.50 crore -- including 45 percent tribals and backward classes -- as the new investment destination for central India, said event convenor and state Social Justice Minister Shivajirao Moghe.

"Vidarbha offers a ready-made platform for industries like textile and garments, automobiles, tourism, and agro-processing industries," Moghe told IANS.

This is because the best high quality cotton is grown in Vidarbha. And the region is blessed with abundant deposits of iron ore, manganese and coal, along with vast green forests, including two tiger sanctuaries, unlimited water and power supply, Moghe pointed out.

The state government has also made other attempts to attract industries to Vidarbha, as Mumbai, Thane, Raigad, Pune and Nashik regions are now virtually saturated, he added.

The 4,000-hectare Multi-modal International Cargo Hub and Airport project at Nagpur is on the verge of take-off, with the participation of TCS and Boeing, among many others, Moghe said.

In the past few days, the chief minister has taken personal initiatives to ensure that "Advantage Vidarbha" sends investment cash registers ringing. The initiative comes a year ahead of the Lok Sabha and state assembly elections.

Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti chief Kishore Tiwari, who is also part of the initiative, said a good number of political leaders have set up scores of colleges and technical institutions in the Vidarbha region.

"They churn out 20,000 graduates each year and over two million graduates from Vidarbha are working in Mumbai, Pune and Bangalore, besides the US, South America and elsewhere. They want to return to their native land even at half their salaries, but there are no opportunities available. We hope "Advantage Vidarbha" will help in creating jobs for these people," Tiwari told IANS.

Tiwari urged the state government to allot land free to industries, power at half the usual rates, and a package of special incentives on the lines of SEZs.

Leaders and social activists from the region have urged the government to make the mega-event a success, since it would be in the interest of the farmers and tribals who have been neglected for decades. Development, it is hoped, would create lasting peace in the region, parts of which are reeling under Maoist terror.

Politics over ‘Advantage Vidarbha’ is Unfortunate-VJAS urged Industries to Invest in Vidarbha

Politics over ‘Advantage Vidarbha’ is Unfortunate-VJAS urged Industries to Invest in Vidarbha 

NAGPUR:20^th Feb.2013

'Advantage Vidarbha 2013', a two-day event to be held here on February 25-26, is being organised in association with Government agencies like MIDC, Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC), MTDC, MHADA and CIDCO, aimed at promoting the region in Vidarbha  as an investment destination and IT ,Automobiles, Agro-processing, Textiles and Tourism are the four sectors are identified to attract investments where state is likely offer special incentive and signal widow clearance  and The Maharashtra government is expecting MoUs pledging Rs 15,000-crore investments in Vidarbha to be signed during an upcoming event here but  Just when things seemed to be on track to give the region a shot in the arm, Union heavy industries minister Praful Patel, who is the sole minister from Vidarbha in the UPA government, dropped a bombshell on Advantage Vidarbha barely five days before the event.

"This is unfortunate development and power politics NCP-Cong. is working against the interest of vidarbha when Praful Patel is making issue that he has not been properly invited nor involved in accordance with protocol and neither my name nor that of deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, who holds the state's most important portfolios of finance and energy, are there as guests for the inaugural session is not reason for opting out of  such important event” Kishor Tiwari President  Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti(VJAS), the activist group  working for farmers and tribal of dying vidarbha which is most backward region of Maharashtra mainly due to continuous neglect and apathy shown by western Maharashtra political leaders who ruled state and NCP’s open opposition to ‘advantage Vidarbha’ is part of that step-motherly treatment given to region said in press release today .

‘Since 1981 Private Engg. Degree and Diploma  colleges started by politicians including Praful Patel, has started more than 20 thousand engineers and other management professionals  joining industries  all over India and world since 1985 now crossed above 2 million who wants to come back to serve in vidarbha  more over  around one lakh hector industrial land with five star infrastructure  is available in Nagpur ,Amaravati, Akola, Wardha ,Gondia ,Bhandara and Yavatmal but poor   political leadership and bureaucratic corruption has failed attacks investor to vidarbha which geographically at heart of India and excellent skilled manpower is readily available @ 50%   cost that case with land ,power too more over logistics connectivity is major advantage hence this is right time to invest’ Tiwari said  

‘ We are shocked with Praful Patel’s statement as he was key minister as aviation minister who personally worked to hand over Nagpur airport to a joint venture of Airports Authority of India and the Maharashtra Airport Development Company Ltd. It was on his insistence that Boeing MRO is setting up base here who was instrumental to bring  Rs15,000 crore investment of Adani power here. Now he is  engaged in bringing Rs2,500 crore investment of BHEL to Sakoli hence now his stand looks like move of NCP western Maharashtra leadership  to spoil the event’ Tiwari allged.

‘A lack of political will was said to be the reason for Vidarbha to remain underdeveloped when compared to other parts of the state. Political games, it appears, would continue to put spokes in its wheels which has to opposed hence we are supporting the event’ Tiwari added.

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Cotton Crisis Deepen in India as Bt cotton losing steam, productivity at 5-yr low

Cotton Crisis Deepen in India as Bt cotton losing steam, productivity at 5-yr low and Mah' Govt. reports  Bt failure to hit cotton yield by 40%
Vidarbha cotton farmers advocacy group Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti  (VJAS) has strongly objected   Cotton Association of India's recent estimate of Indian  cotton crop output to be lower by five per cent this year at 354 lakh bales against 373 lakh bales last year as misleading due massive Bt.cotton  crop failure reported in Maharashtra in around 42 lakh hector which is major cultivating state along with Gujarat ,A.P.and Rajasthan .
it is reported that


 'The revolutionary Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton crop in India has started losing steam steadily due to lack of innovation and diversified pest attacks emerging from frequent changes in climatic conditions.

As is evident from the data collated by the Cotton Advisory Board (CAB) under the Union Ministry of Textiles, cotton yield has started falling gradually after the four years of revolution between 2002 and 2006 when bollworm-resistant Bt cotton seed changed farmers’ economy. After that, however, farmers have witnessed a sustained decline in yield from a peak level of 554.39 kg per hectare (ha) in the cotton year 2006-07 (October – September) to an estimated 488.89 kg per ha in 2012-13.'


pl see the link-
http://www.business-standard.com/article/markets/bt-cotton-losing-steam-productivity-at-5-yr-low-113020601016_1.html
' Nearly 5 million cotton farmers in Maharashtra are facing severe crop failure and there are very disappointing reports of cotton crop production in reported in other part of  India but The cotton association of India has estimated cotton output at 354 lakh bales which has shocked us as cotton economy at large in going through recession but projecting such gloomy picture is hoax in fact for cotton export and Indian mill sector is lowest but CAI is giving misleading data of arrivals and cotton acreage hence we demand Govt. India white paper of cotton production and cotton economy as more than 12 million Indian cotton farmers are deep crisis as there is steep hike in cultivation cost whereas reduction in production and drop in market prices due global recession in textile sector' Kishore Tiwari  of Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti  (VJAS) informed in press release today.

For the first time, Maharashtra has officially admitted that cotton yield is likely to reduce by nearly 40%. Bt cotton failure in more than 4 million hectares of land has reduced cotton yieldfrom 3.5 million quintal to 2.2 million quintal.

pl see the link-

http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_bt-failure-to-hit-cotton-yield-by-40pct-govt_1769428

A report sent by the state agricultural department to the Centre states that the estimate of the net direct economic loss to cotton farmers in the state will be nearly Rs6,000 crore, whereas accumulated losses are likely to cross more than Rs20,000 crore due to a steep rise in cultivation costs.

Farmers and activists in the state’s cotton belt say the rise in the prices of Bt cotton seeds, fertilizers, pesticides and labour since last year has had a huge impact. “The agrarian crisis sweeping through the state due to Bt cotton failure has only widened. Unlike when cotton crop failure was reported only from Vidarbha and Marathawada, reports of such crop failure are now coming in from Khandesh in north Maharashtra, too,” said Kishore Tiwari 

'Earlier The Cotton Advisory Board, in its  estimate in January, projected cotton output of 330 lakh bales, due to reports of bollworm infesting some of the BT cotton crop across the country, but largely in few regions of Maharashtra and Rajasthan. and Maharashtra Govt. reported Bt.cotton failure in 40%  hence cotton crisis in India has taken serious turn  Genetically modified (GM) Bt.cotton seed has created it's monopoly in Indian market  which is being cultivated in more than 12 million hector largest in world  but has been major cause of prevailing distress and debt which is forcing cotton farmer's suicide hence ground level true picture is must' Tiwari said.

'Vidarbha Bt.cotton farmers who are facing severe crop failure are demanding bailout package from Indian Govt.as crop damage compensation and another complete debt waiver so that cotton farmers who are killing themselves due to despair and debt are saved 'Tiwari urged. 

According to state records, Maharashtra grows Bt cotton in 4.2 million hectares of land. This is the largest among all cotton-producing states. Even thenit has been reporting lowest cotton yield of about 5 quintal per hectare since 2006. The latest official estimate says this is likely to fall to 3 quintal per hectare.

“We demand a compensation of Rs20,000 per hectare and fresh crop loans for every farmer for the ensuing kharif season. We also want food security and free health education, along with the implementation ofland development, soil enrichment and watershed development under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act,” VJAS said.

VJAS  appealed to the government not to mock the farmers. “We hope the state relief packages actually help farmers this time instead of just benefiting contractors, politicians and multinational agro majors like it has in the past.”

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Bt cotton losing steam, productivity at 5-yr low- Business-Standard

Bt cotton losing steam, productivity at 5-yr low

Falls prey to lack of innovation and pest attacks due to volatile climatic conditions

Dilip Kumar Jha  |  Mumbai  February 07, 2013 Last Updated at 00:38 IST

http://www.business-standard.com/article/markets/bt-cotton-losing-steam-productivity-at-5-yr-low-113020601016_1.html

The revolutionary Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton crop in India has started losing steam steadily due to lack of innovation and diversified pest attacks emerging from frequent changes in climatic conditions.

As is evident from the data collated by the Cotton Advisory Board (CAB) under the Union Ministry of Textiles, cotton yield has started falling gradually after the four years of revolution between 2002 and 2006 when bollworm-resistant Bt cotton seed changed farmers’ economy. After that, however, farmers have witnessed a sustained decline in yield from a peak level of 554.39 kg per hectare (ha) in the cotton year 2006-07 (October – September) to an estimated 488.89 kg per ha in 2012-13.

The remarkable increase in output, therefore, is attributed to farmers’ rapid adoption of Bt technology resulting in higher acreage. The fall in area under cultivation resulted in lower cotton output in the past few years.

Although, the innovator of Bt technology, the US-headquartered Monsanto claims to have introduced an update of bollworm resistant Bt cotton, the technology failed to help raise India’s per hectare yield.

“The average Bt cotton yield declines are possibly due to the expansion of the crop to non-optimal areas of cultivation. In addition, yield losses due to other factors, including sucking pests, have also made an impact in the past few years,” said Raju Barwale, managing director, Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Company (Mahyco), an agri-biotechnology company and an associate of the Indian arm of Monsanto.

However, India’s current average cotton productivity is 474 kg/ha for the post-Bt cotton launch period 2002-11, an increase of 158 per cent from pre-Bt cotton period of 1993-2001 when productivity was 300 kg/ha.

Barwale said the estimated yield of cotton during kharif 2012 was lower due to the drought in major growing areas, such as Saurashtra, Vidarbha and North Karnataka. The drought impacted yields of other crops in these regions as well.

Bt technology is intended to protect the cotton crop against bollworm attacks, thereby helping to minimise insect-related crop losses. Bt cotton’s resistance towards bollworms remains intact with Bollgard II technology. There is no scientific evidence indicating resistance being developed by the insect to Bollgard II cotton.

“During field monitoring of the cotton crop in 2009 in Gujarat, Monsanto and Mahyco scientists detected unusual survival of the pink bollworm (PBW) to the first-generation single-protein bollgard cotton. Laboratory testing confirmed resistance in PBW populations to Bt protein in bollgard cotton in Gujarat. This was reported to the Indian Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC). However, the second-generation Bt cotton containing two Bt proteins (Bollgard IITM) continued to be effective in controlling pink bollworms and the resistance issue could be quickly overcome with adoption of Bollgard II,” a Monsanto India spokesperson said.

Resistance is natural and expected, so measures to delay resistance are important. Among the factors that may have contributed to pink bollworm resistance to the Cry1Ac protein in Gujarat are limited refuge planting and early use of unapproved Bt cotton seed, planted prior to GEAC approval of Cry1Ac cotton, which may have had lower Bt protein expression levels, he added.

Meanwhile, Barwale pointed out that crop yield depends on many other factors, including availability of water, nutrients, soil fertility, agronomic practices, regular and efficient management of weeds, insect protection and labour.

There is a growing need and significant opportunity ahead. With increasing population and income and the textile industry’s vision to triple in value by 2020, it is important for farmers to increase their cotton production. Safe and proven technology such as GM crops and Bt cotton will play an important role in enhancing yield and profitability at their farms.

Both Monsanto and Mahyco have defended the new technology - Bollgard II - which they claim have capability to resist PWB.

Monsanto advised farmers to regularly monitor the fields under Bt cotton cultivation. Planting non-Bt cotton refuge is the most important practice the farmers should adopt.

Furthermore, farmers have been constantly educated to adopt measures such as need-based application of insecticide sprays during the crop season and adoption of cultural practices like keeping the field clean of cotton stubble and crop-leftovers, ploughing of land after harvest so that the resting stages of the insects in the soil could be destroyed.

Meanwhile, continuous R&D and innovation to develop new value-added technologies is imperative to stay ahead of insect resistance. To support such innovation, Monsanto demanded government policies’ support to encourage investment in R&D which will result in Indian farmers having a wider choice of better and advanced technologies translating thereby, higher yield.
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NRIs contribute to aid Vidarbha widows, orphans-IANS

NRIs contribute to aid Vidarbha widows, orphans

By Quaid Najmi | IANS India Private Limited – 8 hours ago

http://in.news.yahoo.com/nris-contribute-aid-vidarbha-widows-orphans-081405117.html

Nagpur, Feb 3 (IANS) Inspired by a media story, a group of young NRIs from the US have pooled their resources and sent a modest aid package to farmland widows and orphans of Vidarbha.

The group was inspired to act after reading an IANS story about a Parsi couple from Mumbai who had contributed Rs.1 million tofarmers in Vidarbha experiencing distress as a result of crop failure.

The NRI group is led by Suresh Ediga, hailing from Hyderabad but settled in Metuchen, New Jersey for over a decade. "Suresh, along with like-minded NRI friends, have decided to adopt 10 widows and give them around US$ 4,000 (Rs.200,000) to take care of their requirements," Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti (VJAS) chief Kishore Tiwari told IANS.

Speaking to IANS from Metuchen, Ediga said that each of his 10 friends had decided to contribute Rs.20,000, which the VJAS will utilise to provide appropriate relief to 10 families in Vidarbha.

"We requested VJAS to provide us with a list of the 10 most needy widows, orphans or families. We have already sent the first instalment of Rs.80,000 and shall send the remaining amount shortly," Ediga said.

Ediga said that his friends and he were shocked to read about the plight of the Vidarbha farmers. He said that many people, including NRIs in the US, are unaware of the harsh conditions of life of widows and orphans in eastern Maharashtra.

"After getting the list from VJAS, I sent out an appeal to my friends on social networking sites and many of them responded enthusiastically. This is our humble contribution to the great work being done by activists like Kishore Tiwari," Suresh said, lauding the VJAS.

The first beneficiaries include:

Anjubai Bhusari, Pada village, has received help for professional courses for her son and daughter; Ratnamala Tekam of Mangi village has received money to repay an agriculture loan she was unable to repay after crops failed. Usha Ashthekar of Sakhra village will be able to start a small independent business to support herself and her family. Nirmala Shende of Pada village will receive money to install a water pump and lay a pipeline in her farm.

VJAS has already submitted another list of six widows needing urgent help, and Ediga and his friends have agreed to help them.

Appreciating the role of IANS in highlighting the issues of Vidarbha, Tiwari said that after the Jan 16 story ("A Parsi couple's healing touch to Vidarbha's farmers"), there have been offers of donations from shocked readers in India, the Middle East, Far Eastern countries, Europe, the US and Australia.

"Many have written asking how they could contribute in their own small manner, and some like Suresh Ediga have extended help as a group. We said that the situation in Vidarbha is alarming and every form of monetary or material help is welcome," Tiwari said.

Cyrus Guzder, 76, and wife Lyla, 70, have spent over Rs.10 lakh so far on providing educational support to children in the region, helping widows set up small enterprises and enabling them to live a dignified life.

"This is our small and humble gesture to do whatever we can to mitigate the sufferings of the farming community here," Guzder, reluctant to speak about his philanthropy which has now inspired many around the world, told IANS.

(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at q.najmi@ians.in)

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