NRI Krishnakumar Taori facilitates computer lessons for Vidarbha farmers- IANS

Nagpur, July 15 (IANS) Over 120 farmers, farmers' widows and youth have enrolled for a free computer training centre set up by a non-resident Indian from Oman in a Maharashtra village.

Krishnakumar Taori, the group managing director of a construction company in Oman, is a native of the Ghuikhed village on the Yavatmal-Amravati border in the farmers' suicide-hit Vidarbha region.

"With more than 120 registrations, including farmers, widows and youth, they will be provided basic to advanced computer courses absolutely free of cost here," said Sanjay S. Dhotre, a BJP MP from Akola, at the centre's inauguration in Saturday. Taori was also present at the function.

Dhotre admitted that though MPs received funds for development works in their constituency, "such an idea to set up a computer centre did not strike me."

With 10 computers and an internet connection, this is the first such training centre in the region containing nearly 100 villages.

The courses will be taught in three shifts daily.

In April, Taori, who was born to a cotton farmer in Ghuikhed, decided to set up the centre after a visit to Pandharkavada village to distribute saris and blankets to 200 women, whose husbands had committed suicide due to debt, said an activist.

"At that time, he (Taori) had expressed a desire to set up computer training centre and industrial training institutes. Land acquisition for the institutes has been done," Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti chief Kishore Tiwari, who helped in Taori's efforts, told IANS Sunday.

He said that for the last five years, Taori, the group managing director of Hasan Juma Backer Trading and Contracting Co. LLC, has been engaged in providing free education to tribal children of the backward Melghat region in Amravati district.

बीपीएल शिधा पत्रिका सर्व गरीबांना मिळाव्या- झरी येथे १७ जुलैला अन्नाधिकार आंदोलनाची घोषणा

बीपीएल शिधा पत्रिका सर्व गरीबांना मिळाव्या-
झरी येथे १७ जुलैला अन्नाधिकार आंदोलनाची घोषणा
तभा वृत्तसेवा-यवतमाळ, १२ जुलै
यवतमाळ जिल्ह्यातील सर्व गरीबांना अंत्योदय योजना लागू व्हावी व बीपीएल शिधावाटपपत्रिका मिळाव्या या मागणीकरिता मंगळवार, १७ जुलैला झरी तालुक्यातील हजारो आदिवासी तहसील कार्यालयासमोर अन्नाधिकार आंदोलन सुरू करतील अशी घोषणा विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समितीचे नेते किशोर तिवारी यांनी यवतमाळ येथे पत्रकार परिषदेत केली.
मागील दहा वर्षांपासून दारिद्रयरेषेखालील असणारया विभक्त झालेल्या आदिवासी, दलित व वंचित कुटुंबांना सर्वोच्च न्यायालयाच्या आदेशानंतरही पिवळ्या शिधावाटप पत्रिकेपासून यवतमाळ जिल्ह्यात १ लाख कुटुंब वंचित आहेत. न्यायमूर्ती वाधवा समितीने आपल्या यवतमाळ दौरयाच्यावेळी जिल्ह्यातील लोकसंख्येच्या प्रमाणात अन्नाच्या अधिकारापासून वंचित असलेल्या सुमारे ३० हजार कुटुंबांना शिधावाटप पत्रिका देण्याचे आदेश १६ महिने उलटूनही जिल्हाधिकारयांनी केराच्या टोपलीत टाकले आहेत.
देशात लाखो मेट्रीक टन गहू व तांदूळ सरकारी गोदामात सडत असल्यामुळे व ठेवण्यासाठी जागा नसल्यामुळे केंद्र सरकारने सर्व शिधावाटपधारकांना बीपीएलच्या दराने अन्न पुरवठा करण्याची घोषणा केली आहे. त्यासाठी राज्य सरकारने अन्नाची मागणी करावी अशी सूचनासुद्धा योजना आयोगाने  केली आहे. मात्र महाराष्ट्र सरकारने बीपीएलच्या शिधावाटप पत्रिका वाढविण्याऐवजी लाखो शिधावाटप धारकांना वगळण्याचा सपाटा सुरू केला आहे. यामुळे राज्यात ५० लाखांवर कुटुंब दारिद्रय रेषेच्याखाली असूनसुद्धा पिवळ्या शिधावाटप पत्रिकेपासून वंचित आहेत. यामध्ये यवतमाळ जिल्हा सर्वात आघाडीवर आहे. यवतमाळ जिल्ह्याच्या जिल्हाधिकारयांनी २००६ मध्ये उच्च न्यायालयात शपथपत्र देवून केंद्र सरकारच्या अन्न नियंत्रण कायदा २००१ प्रमाणे प्रत्येक वर्षी गरिबांची ओळख करुन शिधावाटप पत्रिका नव्याने देत असल्याचे शपथपत्र दिले आहे. मात्र मागील १ वर्षात शिधावाटपपत्रिका नसलेल्या गरीबांना नव्या पिवळ्या शिधावाटप पत्रिका देण्याची कोणतीही मोहीम जिल्हाधिकारी कार्यालयाने सुरू केलेली नाही. १९९७ पासून पिवळ्या शिधावाटप पत्रिका बीपीएल कुटुंबानासुद्धा देण्यात येत नसून विभक्त होणारया कुटुंबाना एपीएलच्या पांढरया शिधावाटपपत्रिका प्रचंड पाठपुराव्यानंतर देण्यात येत आहेत. सध्या यवतमाळ जिल्ह्यात सरकारचे बीपीएल कार्ड असणारे आणि बीपीएलच्या पिवळ्या शिधावाटपपत्रिका नसणारे एक लाखांवर कुटुंब आहेत. यासर्व बीपीएल कार्डधारकांना बीपीएलच्या दराने अन्न मिळावे यासाठी मंगळवार, १७ जुलैपासून विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समितीतर्फे जनआंदोलन सुरू करण्याची घोषणा समितीचे अध्यक्ष किशोर तिवारी यांनी पत्रपरिषदेत केली.
यवतमाळ जिल्ह्यात नगर पालिका क्षेत्रात फक्त २० टक्के गरीबांनाच बीपीएल कार्ड असून यामधील फारच कमी लोकांजवळ पिवळ्या शिधावाटप पत्रिका आहेत. मागील १० वर्षांत सरकारने जास्तीत  जास्त गरीबांना अन्नापासून वंचित करण्याचे धोरण स्वीकारले आहे. नागरी पुरवठा विभागाने नव्या  पिवळ्या बीपीएल दराने अन्न देणारया शिधावाटप पत्रिका रोखले असून उच्च न्यायालयाच्या आदेशानंतरही हजारो कोलाम कुटुंब अंत्योदय योजनेपासुन वंचित आहेत.एकीकडे सरकार अन्नाचा साठा जास्त झाल्यामुळे गहू आणि तांदूळ पडेल त्या किंमतीत देशाबाहेर विकत आहे. उपासमारीला तोंड देत असलेल्या आदिवासी, दलित व नगदी पिकांची शेती करणारया कोरडवाहू शेतकरयांना अन्नापासून वंचित ठेवल्या जात आहे. विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समितीतर्फे आंदोलनाचा पहिला टप्पा म्हणून सर्व बीपीएल यादीतील गरीबांकडून बीपीएल शिधावाटपपत्रिका मिळावी यासाठी अन्न नियंत्रण कायदा २००१ च्या नियमाप्रमाणे अर्ज भरुन घेण्यात येईल. सर्व अर्ज प्रत्यक्ष पडताळणी करून त्यांच्या याद्या तयार करून प्रत्येक तालुक्यांसमोर अन्नाच्या आग्रहाचे सत्याग्रह करून तहसीलदारांना देण्यात येईल. १५ ऑगस्टपर्यंत नवीन पिवळ्या शिधावाटपपत्रिका देण्यासाठी आग्रह धरण्यात येणार आहे. जर सरकारने या सर्व अर्जांना केराची टोपली दाखविली तर १५ ऑगस्टला अन्नाचा लढा जिल्हाधिकारी कार्यालयावर रेटण्यात येईल, अशी घोषणा समितीचे नेते मोहन जाधव, सुरेश बोलेनवार, अंकित नैताम मोरेश्वर वातीले, भीमराव  नैताम यांनी केली आहे

Maharashtra farmers welcome Bt cotton ban-By Indo Asian News Service

Maharashtra farmers welcome Bt cotton ban

By Indo Asian News Service | IANS India Private Limited

http://in.news.yahoo.com/maharashtra-farmers-welcome-bt-cotton-ban-145128353--finance.html

Nagpur, July 12 (IANS) Farmers in Maharashtra Thursday welcomed the state government's move to ban Bt cotton seeds which have created many problems for the agricultural community, mainly in Vidarbha region, an activist said.

The move was announced in the Maharashtra legislature by Agriculture Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil Wednesday.

The minister said the decision was based on many complaints of the farming community and reports of agriculture officers that the Mahyco Monsanto Biotech had been allegedly supplying sub-standard seeds.

According to Vidarbha Jan Andola Samiti chief Kishore Tiwari, the government move is most welcome as the company had failed to supply good quality seeds despite taking huge amounts as advance from debt-trapped cotton farmers in the region.

MMB is a joint venture between Mahyco, Maharashtra, and Monsanto Holdings Pvt. Ltd., USA which has sub-licensed Bollgard II and Bollgard technologies to 28 Indian seed companies since 2005.

Tiwari claimed that after the commercial trials of the genetically modified seeds were started, it triggered a spate of suicides among cotton farmers, which continues unabated till date.

He alleged that the monopolistic US multinational corporation has been duping innocent farmers and demanded a ban on all the other 28 sub-licensed companies in the country.

Tiwari pointed out that though the minister has announced the ban on Mahyco-Monsanto, there is no clarity on the situation of their 28 sub-licences, and urged the government to make its stand on the issue clear immediately.

The Bt cotton seeds should be replaced by traditional Indian cotton seeds as they are much more cost-effective than the Bt varieties, are ready for plucking in just 150-160 days compared to Bt's 180-200 days, thus reducing the need for additional inputs like fertilizers, pesticides and other nutrients.

Presently, India ranks at the top in Bt.Cotton cultivation covering 126 lakh hectares, up from just four lakh hectares in the past decade or so.

However, in view of the general disadvantages plus health issues associated, we are in favour of a complete ban on all genetically modified technology in India, Tiwari said.

BKS support to Bt Cotton is unfortunate –VJAS

BKS support to Bt Cotton is unfortunate –VJAS

Nagpur-8^th july 2011

The recently published  study on the "Socio-Economic Impact Assessment of Bt Cotton in India" jointly undertaken by the Council for Social Development (CSD) and Bharat Krishak Samaj (BKS) confirms that cotton production in India has risen substantially with the use of the hybrid Bt cotton seeds resulting in benefiting small farmers is part of spate of bogus 'news reports' and study reports which are  appearing the newspapers on productivity of Bt cotton is not in line with fact and ground reality of Maharashtra cotton farmers who facing crop failure in the same period BKS study and state Govt. paid Rs.4000 crore to nearly 4 million cotton farmers for Bt.cotton failure in 42 lakhs hector more over State agriculture commissioner Umakant Dangat officially admitted that  India has the lowest cotton productivity in the world and Maharashtra, the lowest in India and union agriculture  minister  Mr Sharad Pawar own admission that vidarbha dry land farmers are losing more than Rs.2000 crore per year since introduction of Bt.cotton seed in vidarbha,  is proven fact that it’s classic example  of promoting wrong technology  to wrong class agrarian community as rain sensitive crop has proven killer seed in west vidarbha as 95% farmers opted this technology are dry land farmers hence we urge BKS to look at ground reality and withdraw is unjustified report as mark of respect to around 9000 vidarbha farm widows who innocent victims of promoting rain sensitive Bt.cotton seed in drought prone dry land region of west vidarbha where small afrmers are the most effected and debt trapped after adopting Bt. Cotton cultivation  , informed today vidarbha cotton farmers’ advocacy group Vidarbha Jannadolan Samiti (VJAS,) president Kishore Tiwari  who is  demanding the complete ban of genetically modified Bt.cotton seed in vidarbha and documenting cotton farmers suicides since 2002 .

‘We urge team of Council for Social Development (CSD) and Bharat Krishak Samaj (BKS) members   associated with the study which contradicting the facts of   dying field of vidarbha where more than 9000 cotton farmers committed suicide and 100% farmers who opted Bt.cotton seed are in distress and debt and review the reasons of  Central Institute of Cotton Research (CICR) Director Keshav Kranthi changed version  that the cost of seeds of straight varieties is much lower than Bt varieties, besides which these varieties become ready for plucking in just 150-160 days whereas BT varieties take around 180-200 days, which reduces the need for fertilizers, pesticides and other nutrients substantially and unlike Bt cotton varieties, seeds derived from straight cotton varieties can be used during the next season ,these are ground realities totally ignored hence study reports is untrue and misleading hence we want Indian Govt. “white paper”  the performance of Bt. Cotton seed in last decade’ Tiwari added.

“BKS study report timing is unfortunately coinciding when Monsanto Bt.cottonseed manufacture clearly is pulling out all stops and enhancing its propaganda budget and acting through both deals with media and with individual, sold-out journalists other seed corporations in order to make environment for BRAI bill to get through in Indian parliament  and defend the ground report finding of  The parliamentary standing committee on agriculture which is likely to table it’s report on  July 15 and possibly even hold a press conference by that date hence BKS report needs to reviewed seriously which is not in line with pathetic condition of Maharashtra cotton farmers where situation is almost same nine cotton growing states of India in 2009-2010 as area under Bt.cotton cultivation has increased from 9 million hector to 12 million hector but there is  no increase in cotton production where in dry land cotton growing regions Bt.cotton yield has touched to minimum in last three years   even there is drastic increase in use of fertilizer and pesticide  hence BKS-CSD report is looks like stage managed desk work with cut-paste technology which has discredited reputation of BKS and CSD  hence we demand it’s withdrawal Tiwari added.

Truant monsoon forces four vidarbha farmers to end life in 48 hrs-DNA

  http://www.dnaindia.com/

Truant monsoon forces four vidarbha farmers to end life in 48 hrs-DNA

  http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_truant-monsoon-forces-four-farmers-to-end-life-in-48-hrs_1711223

DNA / Yogesh Pawar / Friday, July 6, 2012 8:00 IST

The erratic progress of the monsoon has made four distressed farmers from Vidarbha commit suicide in the last 48 hours alone.

Six others had done the same last week.

Activists fear that if rains are delayed further, there could be a sharp increase in the tally of farmers’ suicides in Vidarbha from 426 from January this year.

Kishore Tiwari of Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti says “An arid Vidarbha has had erratic rains since 2010. This year, too, the second week of June saw very heavy rains in some blocks. This was followed by normal monsoon as forecast by the metrological department. On cue, farmers finished sowing, only to face a complete dry spell for 20 days. They were forced to watch the heat scorch both their freshly sown crop and their hopes of good production.”

Tiwari takes umbrage at agriculture minister Sharad Pawar’s comment that the delay in monsoon is not a matter of concern. “Coming on the heels of the National Crime Records Bureau’s announcement that Maharashtra saw the largest number of farmers’ suicides in 2011, this seems not only insensitive, but is also a mockery of the farmers’ distress.”

Official figures show that less than 25% of the over three million cotton farmers are covered by institutional banks and that crop loan disbursement target is less than 40% of Nabard’s (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development) credit outlay to the region. “The government knows credit crunch is the real issue and credit-starved, debt-trapped farmers are being pushed to end their lives, but we haven’t seen the government being pro-active in this regard,” alleges Tiwari. “At least now, it should intervene and restructure crop loans.”

“The water in dams and reservoirs is fast depleting. Ground water levels have dropped due to over-exploitation. Those moving away from cotton and soya, which ruin both the ecosystem and their lives, to traditional crops which require less water, like pulses, groundnut, jowar and bajra, should be given incentives,” he urges.

====================

Climate Change claims four vidarbha farmers' suicides in last 48 Hours

Climate Change claims four vidarbha farmers' suicides in last 48 Hours

Climate change and credit crunch claims four vidarbha farmers' suicides in last 48 Hours

NAGPUR: 5^TH  July  2012

The erratic monsoon and effects of climate change has started giving it’s severe effect   in farm suicides prone dry land region vidarbha where four more distressed small farmers killed themselves in last 48 hours as per reports published in local media  and  they are identified as

1.Rajebdra Raut  of Village Ajani in Yavatmal

2.Vithal Jugnake of Village Hiwara in Wardha

3.Suresh Thokale of Village Wadhona in Wardha

4.Gopichand Khatole of Village Khandi in Gondia

Earlier last week six ill fated farmers who committed suicides due to delayed rains and failure sowing  as reported earlier are

5.Dhyaneshwar Tayde og village Telhra  dist..Akola

6.Rajendra Wadhai of village Supalipar in distt. Gondi

7.Ramdas Hingwe of village Nara in wardha

8.Babulal Rathode of village deurwadi in Yavatmal

9. Vijay  Pimpalshende of Sonurli in Yavatmal

10. Ambadas Hatgoankar of Konghara in Yavatmal

This takes tally of farmers suicides in vidarbha  to 422 in year 2012 ,Kishore Tiwari of Vidarbha Jandolan Samiti (VJAS) informed in press release today

“In dry land region of vidarbha we are facing the problem of erratic rain of monsoon since 2010 this year too earlier second week June there were very heavy rains some of select blocks followed by normal monsoon forecast of metrological deptt. tempting   farmer to start sowing but next 20 days ,the dry spell with very hot sunny days damaged whole sowing fueling the distress in dying cotton farmers resulting in such high numbers of suicides  ,till monsoon rain pattern of heavy rain in select block and complete drought like situation in some of district is causing grate concern but you are surprised to see the remark of Indian Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar that delay in monsoon is not matter of worry  as he may right because he has never looked at dying farmers of Maharashtra even NCRB has been reporting maximum suicides indicating agrarian crisis is at it’s peak in mother state of  Sharad Pawar that’s is very unfortunate and shocking ”Tiwari added.

‘As per official figure of  administration out 3 million  cotton farmers only 25% farmers have been covered in to institutional banks and crop loan disbursement target is less 40% of NABARD credit outlay to the region and credit crunch has been issue as debt trapped farmers are credit starved and is one of factor of despair in agrarian crisis hence we demand central intervention for crop loan restructuring in selct blocks where resowing is being done’ Tiwari urged.

“Vidarbha agrarian crisis has entered seven year now and vidarbha farmers suicides are being reported since June 2005 @ 8 hourly and as per official Govt. record more that 9000 dry land farmers have killed themselves due distress and despair accumulated due to crop failure and economic losses due cotton prices collapses due wrong policies of Indian Govt. regarding export  . now one side monsoon rain are getting delayed other side banks are not giving fresh crop loan to farmers and input cost of as Bt.cotton seed ,fertilizers and pesticides have been  has been almost double in same cases triple which is also adding fuel to the crisis as last year too in maharashtra alone Bt.cotton failed in 42 lakh hector and maharashtra has officially paid more than Rs.4000 crore as compensation to the dying cotton farmers of region  hence furrows on farmers' brows are getting deeper as they desperately wait for rains,.with the monsoon playing truant, water level in reservoirs of large and medium dams is fast depleting At least now the government should intervene to see that farmers take up less rain-sensitive food crops like jawar and bajra instead of cotton and soya so as to sustain food needs for the year ahead," said Tiwari.

‘Ground reality in  complete maharashtra in too gloomy to explain ground water level has reached to very alarming level and uncontrolled water mining is adding fuel to crisis and the promotion of very rain sensitive crop like Bt.cotton by the maharashtra state is making situation more difficult as farmers who want shift from Bt.cotton they are not getting good quality seed of food crop and pluses  more over very low minimum support price and productivity ,farmers are being forced to opt Bt.cotton seed  hence we demand urgent Govt. intervention to provide direct aid and quality seed for the dry land farmers who are demanding seed of pulses ,ground nu ,jawar ,bajar maize ’ Tiwari urged to the Govt.

German study on Bt cotton benefits in India is Untrue and Misleading- VJAS

German study on Bt cotton benefits in India is Untrue and Misleading- VJAS  

Nagpur -3^rd July 2012

The so called German study of 533 farming households in four cotton growing states including Karnataka between 2002 and 2008 done by Agricultural Economist Matin Qaim at Germany’s University of Goettingen, published in the July 2 issue of Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences that Bt cotton has economically benefited not merely the big farmers. Small farmers are also smiling as their profit margin shot up by 50 per cent in the last decade is untrue and misleading as ground reality is too gloomy to explain and it is unfair to draw such conclusion when Bt.cotton is being cultivated in more than 12 million hector and around 10 million cotton farmers are opted for Bt.cotton seed replacing traditional cotton seed and all officials reports confirm that the introduction of commercial trials Bt.cotton seed is one main reason of triggering cotton farmers suicides and has been main cause vidarbha agrarian crisis forcing Indian Govt. shift from tradition cotton seed hence such baseless and fabricated study is part of paid news campaign being intentionally done Bt.cotton seed manufacturer US base world largest Bt.cotton seed producing company Monsanto Inc. hence 3 million distressed and debt trapped dry land cotton farmers demand Indian Govt. clarification over such hyped surveys and study reports taking micro sample of select cotton farmers ,informed today vidarbha cotton farmers’ advocacy group Vidarbha Jannadolan Samiti (VJAS) convener Kishore Tiwari  who is  demanding the complete ban of genetically modified Bt.cotton seed in vidarbha and documenting cotton farmers suicides since 2002 .

    

The recent move of Central Institute of Cotton Research (CICR) and The Maharashtra government to implement a pilot project titled as the Brazilian model of Non-Bt.cotton promotion in eight districts of Vidarbha region to start cultivation of straight varieties of cotton in place of hybrid or Bt (Genetically-Modified) ones, the government appears to be doing a rethink over its policy of promoting Bt cotton  which confirm complete failure of Bt.cotton seed technology but such project will be futile when  nearly 90% of the area under cotton in India is under Bt varieties which cover around 12 million hector and any trial 160 acres of land belonging to 160 farmers in this region will be difficult to give desired result hence we demand complete ban Bt.cotton cultivation in dry land region of vidarbha  to make compulsory for cotton farmers’ to cultivate non-Bt straight indigenous varieties which are proven for hundreds of years, Kishor Tiwari of vidarbha advocacy group Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti (VJAS.) added.

“the German study  carried out in 533 farming households in four cotton growing states including Karnataka between 2002 and 2008, the study says cotton yields and profits increased by 24 and 50 per cent respectively among Bt cotton farmers as against non-Bt crops where as in vidarbha is agrarian crisis is directly linked with as all farmer suicide prone district mono crop  which is predominantly cultivated is Bt.cotton since 2005 and now State agriculture commissioner Umakant Dangat officially admitted that  India has the lowest cotton productivity in the world and Maharashtra, the lowest in India and union agriculture  minister  Mr Sharad Pawar own admission that vidarbha dry land farmers are losing more than Rs.2000 crore per year since introduction of Bt.cotton seed in vidarbha,  is proven fact that it’s classic example  of promoting wrong technology  to wrong class agrarian community as rain sensitive crop has proven killer seed in west vidarbha as 95% farmers opted this technology are dry land farmers ” Tiwari added.

‘We urged Matin Qaim, professor of agricultural economics and rural development at Georg-August-University of Goettingen and all other authors of the study to the dying field of vidarbha where more than 9000 cotton farmers committed suicide and 100% farmers who opted Bt.cotton seed are in distress and debt where as Indian Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar himself admitted in Indian parliament that vidarbha cotton farmers’ are losing more than Rs.2000 crore due to wrong selection of rain sensitive Bt.cotton in rain fed region of Maharashtra  and study also contradict the official report  of Central Institute of Cotton Research (CICR) Director Keshav Kranthi  that the cost of seeds of straight varieties is much lower than Bt varieties, besides which these varieties become ready for plucking in just 150-160 days whereas BT varieties take around 180-200 days, which reduces the need for fertilizers, pesticides and other nutrients substantially and unlike Bt cotton varieties, seeds derived from straight cotton varieties can be used during the next season ,these are ground realities totally ignored hence study reports is untrue and misleading hence we want Indian Govt. “white paper”  the performance of Bt. Cotton seed in last decade’ Tiwari added.