PMO APATHY TO VIDARBHA RELIEF PACKAGE: MAHARASHTRA GOVT.MISLEAD SUPREME COURT

VIDARBHA JAN ANDOLAN SAMITI
REGD. OFFICE: 11, TRISARAN SOCIETY, KHAMALA, NAGPUR - 440 025.PH. 2282447/457 MOBILE-9422108846. vidarbha@gmail.com

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REF: - FARMER’S SUICIDES VERY-URGENT-PRESS NOTE DATED-13th APRIL2007

PMO APATHY TO VIDARBHA RELIEF PACKAGE: MAHARASHTRA GOVT.MISLEAD SUPREME COURT
NAGPUR-13TH APRIL, 2007

It is reported that in order to save volte face of non functioning of PMO regarding follow up relief aid distribution as announced by Indian prime minister as vidarbha farmers relief package of rs.3750 crore, the Maharashtra government has withdrawn its allegations against the Prime Minister’s Office of delaying the release of additional funds for ex-gratia assistance to suicide-affected farmers’ families in the state.

The allegation caused a major embarrassment to Prime Minister Man Mohan Singh and the Congress, as the party was a senior partner in the coalition government in Maharashtra.
This central assistance authorised district collectors to sanction Rs 10,000 for a suicide-affected family for health and education related expenses. An amount of Rs 50 lakh each was placed for disposal with the six district collectors for this purpose in August 2006.

In an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court, the state had said, "this amount has fully been disbursed to the needy families and the state government has been requesting the Prime Minister’s Office for additional funds. The State has even earmarked Rs 1.80 crore from the Chief Minister’s Fund, with a view to keep the scheme running otherwise the scheme had to be stopped for the delay in receiving grants from the PMO."

“This is completely false affidavit as relied aid has not given to affected farm widows and farmers’ families as on today” PIL Petitioner Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti President Kishore Tiwari in nagpur bench of mumbai high court in the same issue has informed today that maharashtra Govt. has given untrue and misleading information in the recent affidavit as relief data given by the on their web site does not support made in this affidavit in fact PMO was only spectators to farm suicides after 1st July 2006 and there is no action from PMO on record ,kishor tiwari added

The affidavit had come in response to a PIL filed by advocate Sanjeev Bhatnagar seeking review of the current agriculture policy in view of suicides committed by thousands of farmers in various parts of the country.

It is reported in the press today that now, Maharashtra’s Joint Secretary and OSD, Relief and Rehabilitation, Praveen Srivastava has filed an additional affidavit seeking to delete the allegations against the PMO.

Srivastava alleged that a particular sentence of the affidavit had been torn out and misinterpreted out of context by a section of press to interpret that the state government was putting the blame on the PMO for the delay in making available funds.

"I am constrained to file this additional affidavit so as to make the record clear and unambiguous and lead no manner of doubt as to the contentions of 2nd Respondent (Maharashtra) in this regard," Srivastava said in the affidavit.

Instead, Maharashtra requested the court to allow it to add two additional pages appreciating Singh’s visit to Vidarbha, announcement of package for farmers and his support to the scheme.
This is the mockery of the relief operation as more than 1000 farmers suicides have been reported by Maharashtra state Govt. on the web site officially after the announcement of the relief package by Indian Prime Minister now as face saving device both are misleading the apex court, it’s unfortunate and we will move against both Govt. at the central level and local level as matter of contempt of court, Kishor Tiwari further added.

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Please arrange to release / publish the above Press Note & oblige.

Thanking you,

Yours faithfully,


KISHOR TIWARI
PRESIDENT
VIDARBHA JANANDOLAN SAMITI