VJAS welcomes State Govt. decision on Dryland Farming Mission

VJAS welcomes State Govt. decision on  Dryland Farming Mission

NAGPUR: 10 Jan. 2014

Having awaited for last 9 years lastly Maharashtra Govt. has now decided to look in to issues of the 225 hector  farm land, 80% is rain fed in Maharashtra  who are in debt trapped and despair and distress is forcing them to kill themselves and per record of NCRB more than 60,000 dry land farmers have committed suicides  since 1997 hence this important decision, the state cabinet at its special meeting on Thursday gave approval to the Rs20,000 crore Dryland Farming Mission which is a Central government scheme under Bharat Nirman campaign under project a integrated approach to implement all Central and state schemes to be grouped to find ways to improve dry land farmers' economical condition ,this is one of the attempt to introduce sustainable farming  and crop patterns to dying farmers who are innocent victims of MNC base rain sensitive cash crop farming  hence we welcome the decision , said Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti president Kishore Tiwari

"The proposal has been awaiting government green signal for quite some time. So, it's better late than never," said VJAS  chief Tiwari. He hoped concerted efforts would be made to wean away farmers from cash crops that have ruined the economy in dry land farming. Welcoming the mission, he said, "Ideally, subsidy or incentive should be provided for promoting food crops."

In Maharashtra total population of the state, 55% is engaged in agriculture and  the 225 lakh hectares available for cultivation, as much as 80% is dry land, without any assured irrigation and totally dependent on natural rainfall. While smaller section of farmers having irrigation facilities reap better, multiple harvests and corner major incentives like water and power subsidies, dry land farmers live under perennial uncertainties. Besides no guarantee of good yields year after year, market fluctuations squeeze their annual income, mostly obtained from single cash crop and these are reasons drawing them in debt trapped and forcing them to commit suicides hence giving focus to dry land farmers was much needed and long pending demand of vidarbha-Marathawada region addressing crisis and efforts to  improve yield, provide allied income generation avenues like fishery and dairy farming, and shifting crop pattern from cash to food crops even the decision has been taken keeping eye on next election but as activist of dry land farmers we welcome the move, Tiwari added.

VJAS support the dryland  mission objective of  multiple crop system, changing crop patterns, changes in intercropping, introduction of private forests, animal husbandry and fisheries but  strongly opposed the introduction  private participation and public-private participation in agrarian sector ,Tiwari said