VIDARBHA FARM CRISIS SCENARIO AFTER ONE YEAR PRIME MINISTER PACKAGE-1120 VIDARBHA FARMERS SUICIDES AS RELIEF PACKAGE FAILED

VIDARBHA JAN ANDOLAN SAMITI

11,Trisaranagar,Khamala,Nagpur-440025

Mobile-09422108846, VJAS BLOG-andolan.blogspot.com,email-vidarbha@gmail.com

Ref-Vidarbha Farm Crisis OPEN LETTER TO PRIME MINISTER Dated-30/06/2007

VIDARBHA FARM CRISIS SCENARIO AFTER ONE YEAR PRIME MINISTER PACKAGE- DEAR PRIME MINISTERJI : PACKAGE FAILED TO ADDRESS THE AGRARIAN ISSUES

TO,

DR. MANMOHAN SINGHJI,

HON.BLE PRIME MINISTER,

PMO,NEW DELIHI-110011

REF- 1120 VIDARBHA FARMERS SUICIDES AS RELIEF PACKAGE FAILED TO ADDRESS THE AGRARIAN ISSUES.

Dear sir,

Now it’s after one year that you visited west vidarbha to under stand the Agrarian crisis in which more than 5000 farmers suicides reported since 2002 ,In fact before your visit Dr.S.W.Swaminathan as Chairman of National Commission for farmers NCF visited vidarbha in the month October-2005 then in the months of march-2006 team of expert from Planning Commission visited the vidarbha ,vidarbha farm crisis is the part of Indian Agararian crisis in which farmers are killing themselves and as per official record since 1995 more than 1,00,000(one lac)farmers mostly cotton growers or coffee growers are the main victims of economical collapse of rural system after we opted open trade and free economy ,your vidarbha visit was part of relief exercise to address this national issue of farmers suicides and experts have already prepared the relief package before your visit to vidarbha and you announced it on 1^st July 2006 ,we protested the relief package as our main demand of debt waiver and income base solution for the cash crop of the cotton farmers was missing but farmers but it was shown the dustbin .

Now we are informed that you are reviewing the relief package that you announced year before on 1^st july 2006 and we want update some of the facts to support our claim that relief package has been failed to address the basic issues of rural crisis in west vidarbha.

1.Record 1120 farmers suicides in last one year ,here is chronological account of farm suicides in vidarbha month wise and district wise

MONTH	FARM SUICIDES	DISTRICT	FARM SUICIDES
JULY-2006	90	YAVATMAL	283
AUGUST-2006	111	AMARAVATI	180
SEPTEMBER-2006	124	AKOLA	131
OCTOBER-2006	112	WASHIM	151
NOVEMBER-2006	107	BULDHANA	145
DECEMBER-2006	105	WARDHA	104
JAN-2007	70	NAGPUR	27
FEB-2007	86	BHANDARA	32
MARCH-2007	82	CHANDRAPUR	41
APRIL-2007	90	GADCHIROLI	12
MAY-2007	79	GONDIA	14
JUNE-2007	64
TOTAL	1120	TOTAL	1120

Farm suicide is not the any way indicator of vidarbha agrarian crisis but we would like to draw your attention to Survey Report dated 15 ^th June, 2006 conducted by the Government of Maharashtra's Vasantrao Naik Sheti Swawlamban Mission at Amravati in connection with the Farmers' plight.

2.Sir, it is evident from the Survey Document that the farmers ' in extreme distress' as mentioned in the column 9 of the Survey Chart are 4,34,291 and the farmers families suffering from serious illness are 92,456.

Relief package failed to address the basic issue of vidarbha farmers that is credit and cost

RELIEF PACKAGE FAILURE DETAILS

SR.NO.	RELIEF AMOUNT	DISBUSEMENT	RESULT
1	RS.710 CRORE TO THE BANK AS INTEREST WAIVER THAT HAS DRASTICALLY REDUCED NPA OF BANKS.	ADDITIONAL RS.840 CRORE CROP LOAN GIVEN TO THE COTTON FARMERS.	THIS YEAR DEBT AMOUNT INCREASE AS NABARD FAILED INCREASE CROP LOAN CREDIT. TILL DATE ONLY 2LACS FARMERS HAVE BEEN GIVEN FRESH CROP LOAN AS AGAINST 8 LACS LAST YEAR.
2.	RS.2460 CRORE FOR MAJOR AND MICRO IRRIGATION PURPOSE	ONLY RS.231 CRORE RELEASED ON PAPER	NO SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN AREA UNDER IRRIGATION IN FACT IT WAS ONLY 12000 ACRE AGAINST 80000 ACRE IN LAST RUBY SEASON
3	RS. 90 CRORE AID FOR OTGANAIC FARMING	NIL AMOUNT WAS GIVEN BY THE STATE	AREA UNDER B.T. COTTON DOUBLE IN THIS SEASON
4.	RELIEF WIDOWS	PMO FAILED TO MONITOR THIS AID TOO	OUT OF 1200 SUICIDES 890 CASES WERE REJECTED BY ADMINISTRATION.

The detailed survey was conducted by the said Government Controlled Mission at Amravati under the guidance of Divisional Commissioner at Amravati, in the 8351 Villages of 6 Districts of Vidarbha comprising of Yavatmal, Amravati, Akola, Buldhana, Washim & Wardha in which 17,64,438 families were surveyed by the Mission.

On the basis of the in-depth study and analysis conducted by our organization, out of such a huge numbers of families from those surveyed villages, we would like to draw your immediate attention towards the column No. 8 & 9 pertaining to the farmers in extreme distress and farmers with serious illness as stated above. Hon'ble Sir, in majority of cases of farmers suicides, we came to know that there is no food or medicine available to them and this plight has continued to result the extreme step of suicide by the said farmer and / or its family members. Now, it is imperative on the part of the Union of India and State of Maharashtra that this known factors / points are to be attended to immediately so that these two class of farmers families i.e. the Farmers in Extreme Distress and Farmers Suffering from Serious Illness need to be attended immediately to remediate the plight of such farmers on the verge of committing suicides.

Farmers in Extreme Distress –

Identified Families : 4,34,291.

CAUSES IDENTIFIED :

After visiting the families of the farmers which committed suicides, we came to know that there was no food even sufficient for 2 days in the houses of such farmers. These unfortunate facts of non-availability of Food or money to buy food grain and / or the medicine, resulted in the ultimate sad and unfortunate incident of suicide by the said farmers who were unable to face the agony and distress of such unfortunate plight of indirect hunger and ultimate starvation of the family members including small children and old parents. The Union of India through State of Maharashtra is providing food grain at the subsidized rate to the BPL families amongst the farm / landless labours. In order to stop the indirect hunger and starvation of these 4,34,291 Identified 'Families in Extreme Distress', most of them are small farmers of which the economic condition is not above the landless labourers (Col No. 9 of the Survey Chart), State of Maharashtra to provide 25 Kg of Food grain per month at the subsidized price @ Rs. 3 – 5 per kg under the PDS and/or any other special scheme to be announced at least for a period of 18 months now onwards. This will immediately result in providing direct food help to the 4,34,291 Identified Families in Extreme Distress and the indirect starvation of such families can be stopped so that the ultimate effect which is leading to the unfortunate suicide of the farmer family can be stopped, once the hunger and the indirect starvation of such families is attended to.

As per Maharashtra govt. official report that more than

95 000 farmers families suffering from serious illness and when we visited families and After visiting the families of the farmers which committed suicides, we also came to know that there was no medicine in the houses of such farmers where the family members are seriously ill or suffering from such diseases. The non-availability of medicine or money to buy food grain and / or the medicine, resulted in the ultimate sad and unfortunate incident of suicide by the said farmers who were unable to face the agony and distress of such unfortunate plight of indirect sufferings due to illness, hunger and ultimate starvation of the family members including small children and old parents. The State is providing medical / health services to BPL families at the subsidized rate amongst the farm / landless laborers. In order to stop the indirect plight due to serious illness coupled with hunger and starvation of these around 95,000 Identified Farmers Families with Serious Illness, most of them are small farmers of which the economic condition is not above the landless laborers (Col No. 8 of the Survey Chart), State of Maharashtra to provide Special BPL / Health Cards to such families so that they get the subsidized health care in Government run hospitals at par with the landless laborers or BPL families. This will immediately help in providing direct health care to the 92,456 Identified Families with Serious Illness and in Extreme Distress and which can help to stop the unfortunate suicide of the farmer families with serious illness.

FARMERS WANTS RURAL SYSTEM RESTORATION

Drop in income and sudden increase in input cost of cultivation couple with high cost being paid to health care ,education and maintaining daily livelihood has very difficult to farming society. farmers needs restoration civil and social system in order that they need profitable farming couple with free health care and education.

dear prime minister you are kindly requested to look in to these aspects and arrange to provide the relief address .

Thanking you,

Yours Faith Fully

Kishor tiwari

President

Vidarbha jan andolan samiti

vidarbha@gmail.com

andolan.blogspot.com

contact-09422108846

leading US TV channel PBS exposes reality of vidarbha farm suicides when maharashtra chief minister visiting US

on 26th june-2007 on prime news hour slot US TV channel has shown the in depth story on vidarbha farmers suicides same day maharashtra chief minister was talking to NRI in US that vidarbha farmers are not true as INDIA is growing fast we are also growing fastest speed not at the cost of farmers suicides but reality is different pl look at it,
release in public interest by
kishore tiwari
vidarbha jan andolan samiti
vidarbha@gmail.com
====================================================================
PBS REPORTS
Agricultural Problems Lead to Farmer Suicides in India
Farming in India has become difficult and costly, leading to thousands of farmers taking their own lives. The NewsHour reports on why the industry has become so challenging and what farmers are doing to get through this tough period.

HERE IS THE LINK

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/asia/jan-june07/farmers_06-26.html

kishore tiwari
vidarbha jan andolan samiti
vidarbha@gmail.com

As Bankers Stopped Giving Crop Laon- Six More Debt Trapped Vidarbha Farmers Committed Suicides In Last 48 Hours

VIDARBHA JAN ANDOLAN SAMITI

11,Trisaranagar,Khamala,Nagpur-440025

Mobile-09422108846,VJAS BLOG-andolan.blogspot.com,email-vidarbha@gmail.com

Ref-Vidarbha Farm Crisis PRESS-NOTE-VERY URGENt Dated-25/06/2007

As Bankers Stopped Giving Crop Laon- Six More Debt Trapped Vidarbha Farmers Committed Suicides In Last 48 Hours-Marashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh is visiting America for the MNC investment in “DYING LAND ”of Vidarbha

Nagpur-25^th June 2007

After NABARD has reduced the credit outlay to vidarbha by 40% that is Rs.1860 Crore To Rs.1230 Crore bankers have stopped giving fresh loan to illegible farmers as result six more debt trapped farmers killed themselves in last 48 hours ,

They are

1. EKNATH JAGANATH KOHLE OF TULJAPUR IN BULDHANA

2. GANPAT SHANKAR KHAEDIKAR OF POHARA IN BHANDARA

3. KISAN GANPAT WANKHADE IN KURHAD IN YAVATMAL

4. BHIMRAO BAPURAO ZAMARE OF DHANODA IN YAVATMAL

5. PUNJAB ANANDA TAYADE OF PATHARDI IN AKOLA

6. SANTOSH NAGORAO NEMADE OF RAIKHED IN AKOLA

taking the toll of farmers suicide 55 in june and total 470 since jan.2007,vidarbha jan andolan samiti informed in press release today.

The decision of banker’s not to give fresh crop loan has put more then 2 million cotton farmers in fix as money lenders too exploiting the situation and more & more farmers are being forced to commit suicide as they are failed to do sowing ,kishor tiwari of VJAS added In Press Note.

Earlier NABARD announced that banker will go to door step of the every farmer to give them crop loan but in fact now they have asked bankers not to give fresh crop loan to any illegible farmer where as farmers main demand of complete loan waiver has been shown the dust bin, it’s really unfortunate kishor tiwari said.

MAHARASHTRA CHIEF MINISTER IS ON AMERICA TOUR

Here in Maharashtra since June -2005 there is mass genocide of cotton farmers and more than 4000 farmers suicides have officially reported by the sate administration and it has been widely published in American media too,it is ridicules for the mahrashtra chief minister to invite American MNCS for direct investment in the dying land of vidarbha.

VJAS has urged NRIs in America to ask about Maharashtra chief minister compete failure to stop the mass genocide of vidarbha farmers ,Kishor Tiwari added.

Please arrange to release this press note

Kishor tiwari

President

Vidarbha jna andolan samiti

vidarbha@gmail.com

andolan.blogspot.com

contact-094222108846

VIDARBHA farmers demands DEBT RELIEF

COTTON FARMERS IN YAVATMAL DISTT.

OF VIDARBHA AGITATING FOR DEBT RELIEF

HUNDERES OF FARMERS STARTED DHARANA AGITATION BEFORE BANK FOR FRESH CROP A S BANKS REFUSED TO GIVE FRESH CREDIT TO FARMERS IN VIDARBHA

VIDARBHA FARM WIDOWS demands DEBT RELIEF

Vidarbha farmers to start 'Hallabol' stir against NABARD for fresh crop loan
Posted June 17th, 2007 by Tarique
India News
By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net
http://www.indianmuslims.info/news/2007/jun/17/vidarbha_farmers_start_hallabol_stir_against_nabard_fresh_crop_loan.html
Bhopal, June 17: Thousands of farmers of west Vidarbha region in Maharashtra will start "Hallabol" agitation at all NABARD controlled banks demanding fresh crop loan to every defaulter farmers from tomorrow.
The Nagpur-based Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti, (VJAS), president Kishor Tiwari, who is spearheading the cause of the widows of farmers of Vidarbha region who have committed suicides in the last four years, said this in Press release today.
The reported decision of NABARD that "the decline in credit allocation targets is surprising in the context of Centre's directives to banks to double flow of credit to the agriculture sector in three years starting 2004-05," Tiwari informed. Vidarbha farmers will strongly protest and will not only restore credit outlay to Rs. 3, 300 crore but will have loan waiver too, he added.
Tiwari said it is complete injustice that while cotton farmers are committing suicides in west Vidarbha, the most of the growth in priority sector lending has gone to districts in western Maharashtra and Marathwada. This is largely due to Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar whose base regions have been obliged more as compared to Vidarbha. For instance, Pune gets a 91 per cent rise in its credit allocation target.
NABARD is acting against the agriculture sector plan for six districts of Vidarbha. The plan was prepared based on the last three years' trend though an upward revision of Rs 1,275 crore was made specially under the PM's relief package during 2006-07.
"The PM's package, among other factors, rightly appreciated lack of an extensive network of formal credit in Vidarbha as one of the root causes of farmers' suicides, Tiwari pointed out.
Cutting down on credit allocations for this reason amounts to punishing Vidarbha for being chosen for the PM's package, now cotton farmers are left at the mercy of private money lenders inviting more farmers to commit suicides.
The Press release said that when Indian Finance Minister submitted his annual budget for the year 2007-08, it was warmly welcomed as "agriculture budget". But in result as per order of NABARD bankers association has taken the decision to suddenly drop down the credit outlay for Vidarbha cotton farmers.
After aggressive lending in the previous fiscal, the credit allocation targets set under the annual credit plan for 2007-08 for six districts of Vidarbha show a steep decline. Incidentally, these are the districts that have been reporting maximum farmers' suicides and where farmers' dependence on illegal money-lenders has been one of the root causes.
Credit lending targets for six districts have been revised downwards compared to last year, as per recent decision of bankers association. In 2005-06 fiscal, banks disbursed credit of Rs. 765 crore in six districts. But thanks to the PM's package, the crop credit shot up to Rs. 2,033 crore in the last fiscal.
The current plan, however, allocates only Rs. 1,683 crore for crop credit For instance, Yavatmal district, which has reported maximum suicides, has been earmarked a target of only Rs. 434.96 crore which is almost a 30 per cent decline from its 2006-07 target. Washim district shows a decline of 41 per cent, Akola 36 per cent and Buldhana 38 per cent, against the previous fiscal targets. District credit plans have been finalised on the basis of broad guidelines prepared by NABARD.
Now, the time has come for separating Vidarbha region from Maharashtra state due complete contrast in fiscal condition and increasing backlog of region.
"We will press this demand in future too if we are being neglected and forced to kill ourselves, Tiwari declared. (pervezbari@eth.net)
=================================================================================================

Vidarbha farmers' widows meet President, urge for blanket ban on BT cottonseeds sale

Posted June 18th, 2007
India News
By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net
http://www.indianmuslims.info/news/2007/jun/16/vidarbha_farmers_widows_meet_president_urge_blanket_ban_bt_cottonseeds_sale.html
Bhopal, June 16: At long last a delegation of the hapless farmers' widows of Vidarbha region who have committed suicides got an audience with the President of India Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam on Friday to draw his attention to their hapless and helpless condition.
Dr Kalam in rapt attention heard the woes of the widows who reportedly broke down while narrating their tale of woes and plight। The scheduled allotted time of five minutes for the meeting got stretched to 25 minutes.


The widows' delegation led by Mrs। Kamlabai Gosavi Pawar and his son Prakash Pawar of suicide-prone village Kolzari along with Nagpur-based Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti, (VJAS), president Kishor Tiwari, who is spearheading the cause of the widows, met the President Dr. Abdul Kalam at Yavatmal airport when he visited the place to attend a private function. The delegation having 10 other widows submitted a memorandum to the President requesting him to save the dying Vidarbha farmers from annihilation.


According to VJAS leader Tiwari Dr। Abdul Kalam was disturbed and assured to raise the issue with the officers concerned at the Centre and the State."

The memorandum demanded, among other things, a blanket ban on Bt। cottonseeds in the dry land farming areas. It also urged a ban on misleading advertisements of Bt. cottonseeds.

The memorandum urged the President to call for the information from the Prime Minister of India as per the provisions of Art. 78(B) of the Constitution of India and give suitable directions to provide food and health care to the families of the farmers in distress in the Cotton Cultivating Belt of west Vidarbha Region of Maharashtra where more than 4000 unfortunate farmers have committed suicides in the last 4 years.
The memorandum also urged to implement the provisions of the Seeds Control Order, 1983 in true letter and spirit, to instruct to issue delegation of power to its inspecting officer for control of quality & input seeds as required under Section 12 of the Seed Control Order of Essential Commodities Act, 1955 which is the prime tool for the control of quality & input of seeds and also arrange to stop free sale and trials of Bt। Cotton seeds in dry land areas of India, so that the unfortunate incident of farmers' suicides could be stopped to some extent.


The memorandum said it has also been observed that the farmers are not being given proper advice and training by the Government of Maharashtra in Department of Agriculture since last several years। The costly and improper Bt. cotton seeds which are not suitable for dry land farming are being freely propagated and sold at a very high cost of Rs. 2000/- to Rs. 3600/- per Kg, cost of which is virtually killing the farmers due to high input cost and low yield.


There must be a blanket ban on Bt cotton seeds in the dry land farming areas. This has to be done immediately in order to save the farmers from undue exploitation and cheating. There must be ban on sale and misleading advertisements of Bt. cotton seeds in the dry land areas of Maharashtra where such seeds are not useful for cultivation of cotton due to the high cost of input as compared to the yield. The so-called upgrade technology is killing the farmers.
So, immediate steps may please be initiated by the Union of India in this regard to stop free trials and sales of GM and BT seeds to protect the farmer community at large, the memorandum emphasized.
The VJAS has been following the issue since last almost 9 years on the basis of the ground study & analysis of each and every case of unfortunate suicides of the farmers in different villages of western Vidarbha Region of Maharashtra State, the memorandum said। .


"We all are aware that though the issue is complex and is the overall effect of various factors governing it, still we have few points to be highlighted for your immediate action in the interest of dying farmers, apart from the various long term measures suggested by various agencies including the High Power Committee appointed by Your Government under the Chairmanship of Hon'ble Dr। M.S. Swaminathan, former Chairman of National Commission of Farmers & the Father of Green Revolution in the country".

These points on the very basis of the above referred document, which is the Survey Report dated June 15, 2006 conducted by the Government of Maharashtra's Vasantrao Naik Sheti Swawlamban Mission at Amravati in connection with the Farmers' plight. It is evident from the Survey Document that the farmers ' in extreme distress' as mentioned in the column 9 of the Survey Chart are 4,34,291 and the farmers families suffering from serious illness are 92,456.
The detailed survey was conducted by the said Government Controlled Mission at Amravati under the guidance of Divisional Commissioner at Amravati, in the 8351 Villages of 6 Districts of Vidarbha comprising of Yavatmal, Amravati, Akola, Buldhana, Washim & Wardha in which 17,64,438 families were surveyed by the Mission।


"In majority of cases of farmers suicides, we came to know that there is no food or medicine available to them and this plight has continued to result the extreme step of suicide by the said farmer and / or its family members"।

Now, the memorandum said, it is imperative on the part of the Union of India and State of Maharashtra that these known factors / points are to be attended to immediately so that these two classes of farmers families i।e . the Farmers in Extreme Distress and Farmers Suffering from Serious Illness need to be attended immediately to provide relief to such farmers who are on the verge of committing suicides.

The memorandum suggested remedies that the Union of India through State of Maharashtra should provide foodgrains at the subsidized rate to the BPL families amongst the farm / landless labours।

In order to stop the indirect hunger and starvation of these 4,34,291 identified 'Families in Extreme Distress', most of them are small farmers of which the economic condition is not above the landless labourers (Col No। 9 of the Survey Chart), State of Maharashtra must provide 25 Kg of foodgrains per month at the subsidized price @ Rs. 3 – 5 per kg under the PDS and / or any other special scheme to be announced at least for a period of 18 months from now onwards.


This will immediately result in providing direct help of foodgrains to the 4,34,291 Identified Families in Extreme Distress। The indirect starvation of such families would then be stopped so that the ultimate effect which is leading to the unfortunate suicides of the farmers' families can also be stopped.

The copies of the memorandum were also submitted to Governor of Maharashtra, Prime Minister of India Office, Union Minister for Agriculture & Food – Civil Supplies etc. (pervezbari@eth.net )

Kalam hears woes of ryots' wives
Date:16/06/2007 URL: http://www।thehindu.com/2007/06/16/stories/2007061601861300.htm

National

Kalam hears woes of ryots' wives
Arunkumar Bhatt
Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti presents memorandum

if they had benefited from government packages
Memorandum seeks blanket ban on BT cottonseeds

— YAVATMAL: It was a poignant scene at the airport here on Friday।

A delegation of the wives of farmers who committed suicide in distress, met President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam on Friday.
The women wept while narrating their plight. A sympathetic Mr. Kalam enquired if they had benefited from the government packages. They replied in the negative.
Mr. Kalam delayed his departure to interact with the wives and activists of the Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti who have been working hard to salvage Vidarbha's sinking agrarian economy, particularly that of the cotton growers, who are committing suicide by hundreds every year.
Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and his Cabinet colleagues were not present during the interaction, according to a spokesperson of the Samiti.
"Contrary to our fears, the President was well aware of the situation and questioned the women while reading the memorandum presented to him," Samiti leader Kishore Tiwari told The Hindu .
The President even chided officials who tried to hurry him up.
Mr. Kalam spent nearly 25 minutes with the women, who told him that their condition had further deteriorated and they were unemployed. They even blamed the BT Cotton for their plight. "We told him that the yield of the BT cotton was as low as 50 kg per acre and pointed out how claims about its usefulness were false," Mr. Tiwari said.
"I am disturbed"
He quoted Mr. Kalam as saying, "I am disturbed and will raise the matter with the officers concerned at the Centre and the State." Among other issues, the memorandum blamed "uncontrolled and unrestricted sale of spurious seeds" for the distress and sought a blanket ban on BT cottonseeds in the dry land farming areas. It also demanded a ban on misleading advertisements the BT cottonseeds.
The memorandum urged the President to invoke the constitutional provisions and seek an explanation from the Government on the hopeless situation of the farmers and direct it to provide food and healthcare to the families besides implementing the provisions of the Seeds Control Order, 1983, for immediate quality control of seeds input and stop the trials and sale of the BT cotton seeds in dry land.
© Copyright 2000 - 2006 The Hindu

Farmers’ widows pour out grief to Prez
Aneesh Phadnis I TNN
Yavatmal: She had perhaps not met a single minister in her life। However, on Saturday, Saraswati Ambarwar, widow of a Yavatmal cotton farmer, came face-to-face with President APJ Abdul Kalam, had a photo clicked with him and handed over a memorandum seeking loan waiver and jobs. The President, who attended the concluding cerermony of the Amolakchand College golden jubilee in Yavatmal, promised to look into the grievance of the widows. In fact, a meeting with the women was not part of the original schedule till Thursday, but the President consented to meet them for a few minutes at the airport. The women, whose husbands committed suicide owing to indebtedness, were accompanied by Kishor Tiwari of Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti. “The President said he was very disturbed because of the situation in Vidarbha. He said he will study the memorandum and will ask the state and Centre to act on the demands. He said the widows should be rehabilitated and said he would call for a meeting of concerned officials,” Tiwari told reporters after the meeting. “He wondered why the farmers were not included in the list of people below poverty line,” Tiwari added. “Even now we have no money and can’t till the farm. One of my daughters died of kidney failure. I don’t have money to educate my second daughter,” said Saraswati Ambarwar of Telangtakdi village. She and the two other women Nanda Bhendare and Kamlabai Gosavi Pawar claimed that they did not receive compensation from the government. A government official countered the claim and said all the three women were given Rs 1 lakh in compensation. “The President gave them a patient hearing and said he was concerned about the problem. While he spoke in English he had a Marathi interpreter from Delhi. He said training should be imparted to improve skills of the women,” the official added. “The President heard them patiently but I don’t the think he gave them any assurance regarding a meeting on the farmers issue,” he added.

President’s visit to the ‘Land of Dying’

By Deepak Kumar mohanty

June 15: Today, President A.P.J.Kalam is going to visit the most talked about Vidarbha region to attend a couple of cultural programmes. In his visit he will attend some educational institution but won’t be visiting hundreds of widows of the farmers who killed themselves in intense misery.
Newspapers and TV channels have flashed the President’s visit to Vidarbha as a grand show. Is it worth the pomp and the popularity that media is endowing it with? Why not have a look at the number of farmer suicide in this region from the past couple of years and what the government has done in this regard. It is democracy; the sovereign powers need not to be treated as some kind of Hollywood stuff. They are our leaders, not just titular heads attending parties and grand shows.
According to a Nagpur based organization Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti, which is constantly working on this prime cause, has so far recorded 432 farmer suicides in this year. The records for the year 2006 are miserable with more than 1400 suicide cases, though the government report defers. From 2001 onwards the number of deaths is rising every day, however government official deny and insist on the declining numbers.
West Vidarbha, especially the Yavatmal and Wardha district, is the prime concern as these two areas are mainly affected with agrarian crisis due to the increased costs of cotton farming. It is really a shame for a developing nation with more than 9 per cent economic growth that its people are dying due to hunger; whether it is Maharastra’s Vidarbha or Orissa’s Kalahandi.
Under these circumstances, the local NGO, Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti, has sought permission from the state government of a meeting between the affected families and President Kalam. The families have been insisting to brief a high official or Indian leadership, about the prevailing situation but the authorities have denied citing the law and order problem in the region. Reportedly, the President’s office has shown eagerness but it is not clear why the state administration has been hesitant over this issue.
In response the NGO is organizing a protest gathering with the residents of those affected areas today, and may express their anger and hoist a black flag। This may further politicize the whole issue but it’s unlikely to solve the current agrarian crisis and the death of the farmers. As the president of India, Dr. Kalam has an obligation and duty to show his interest in this regard and try out something before his term ends.

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

PRESIDENT OF INDIAN DR.KALAM MEETS VIDARBHA FARM WIDOWS

In Yavatmal, life goes on -P. Sainath

Date:13/06/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/06/13/stories/2007061301671100.htm
Opinion - News Analysis

In Yavatmal, life goes on
P. Sainath
This district, which President Kalam visits on June 15, has a higher concentration of families of farmers who killed themselves than most others in the country।

— Photo: P. सैनाथ

Saraswati Amberwar with two of her daughters in Yavatmal district. Her husband's was the first Vidharbha farm suicide to be highlighted in the media nine years ago.
"THE BANK recovery teams have stopped coming to my home," Saraswati Amberwar told us in Yavatmal. She lives not far from where President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam will visit on June 15. Her husband Ramdas was the first farm suicide case in Vidharbha to be highlighted in the media, way back in 1998. Since then she has faced years of pressure from his creditors to repay his loans. So it was surprising that the bank recovery men had let up.
"Kishor Bhau gave me a letter which I showed them the last time they were here," she says. "After that, they stopped coming." Even stranger. Kishor Tiwari is the president of the Vidharbha Jan Andolan Samiti (VJAS) and the region's foremost agitator on farm issues. Hardly a friend of the banks, given the countless times he has gheraoed and badgered them on farm loan problems. So what did his letter say?
Roughly translated, it read: "Dear Recovery Officers, Ramdas has appeared before me more than once from Heaven. He says: `I have the money and am waiting to repay you.' Please rush your team to Heaven. Yours sincerely, Kishor Tiwari." After that, says Saraswati, the team never showed up again.
Mr. Tiwari's open letter this week to President Kalam is more polite. It begs him to "spare a few minutes to meet the unfortunate widows of farmers either at Yavatmal or Wardha."
Those and Nagpur are the places the President will touch during his day-long visit. His trip takes him to an event at Amolakchand College in Yavatmal. Also to the Mahatma Gandhi Hindi International University in Wardha. It does not so far include any agrarian distress-related meetings.
Issue of cotton prices
Yavatmal, where the President's main function is, remains one of the most dismal parts of Vidharbha, the region hardest hit by the farm crisis. "This year alone, there have been 428 farmers' suicides in Vidharbha," points out Mr. Tiwari. "Unless urgent action is taken on cotton price, on debt and credit — it will be our worst year ever." And that would be something. The Government officially admits to 1,296 farm suicides due to the "agrarian distress" last year. It records a further 1,348 farm suicides in the same six districts the same year, but denies they were due to agrarian distress.
Yavatmal is one of six districts in this region that together have seen more than 6,000 farm suicides since 2001. Saraswati is among more than 100,000 women across the country who have lost their husbands to suicides driven by the agrarian crisis since the mid-1990s. There are hundreds like her in Yavatmal alone. But her home has seen many VIP visits over the years, including that of Narayan Rane when he was Revenue Minister in the Shiv Sena Government. The compensation of Rs.1 lakh she got was long ago wiped out by debt.
"We're spending Rs.30,000 on my daughter Meenakshi's illness," she says. (Another daughter died in 2004.) "We've sold off several acres and some cattle over these years to cope. But farming gets costlier and more difficult." Yet she sees few options and keeps at it, hoping things will turn around.
In Pisgaon village of the same district Varsha Rasse grabs any work she gets, no matter how poorly paid it is. For two seasons her husband Maruti had leased out their eight acres — throwing in his own labour as part of the deal. "He had to get his sisters married," neighbours told us, "and farming was collapsing." Then, with his own cultivation hit by excessive rains, Rasse committed suicide in 2004. His debt remains a problem for Varsha and their son and daughter are both under five years of age.
"They work harder and harder, and might produce more, but it only gets worse," says Vijay Jawandia, the region's foremost intellectual on agriculture. "All these farmers are fighting impossible odds. The most basic issues have not been touched. They are widows because of indebtedness. The cost of living is rising, so are farming costs. Only their income goes down."
"The Prime Minister's package helped some get fresh loans, but they got no help with the old ones. So now their debt has doubled. The central issue of price has never been addressed by the government. Nor has the issue of huge subsidies in the West for cotton producers there. So prices collapsed and these farmers cannot recover the cost of production. The new debt destroys their creditworthiness. So the banks will not touch them this season. Which pushes them back to moneylenders."
Annapurna Suroshe would agree with him. "We've paid off all our debts from the compensation," she says in Nageshwadi village, "but it doesn't end." It hasn't for her, with two boys and a girl to put through school. When the lease ends on the four acres her husband Rameshwar let out before killing himself last year, she wants to cultivate them herself. "I might as well put in my labour on our own land."
Meanwhile, she's trying to run things from the Rs.25 a full day's labour now fetches her.
Mangalabai Mokhadkar in Rampur — from the only Brahmin farm household seeing such a suicide — has held out longer. In the nine years since her husband Prabhakarrao committed suicide, she's got three of her eight daughters married. Some were married before his death. "No dowry," she makes a point of telling us. Though each wedding set her back by around Rs.40,000. She has not taken a paisa from her sons-in-law. "They took no dowry, how can I do that?" She's also managed to educate the girls. "All of them are matric pass or fail," she says. "Three completed their schooling after he died."
After years of leasing them out, "we will farm our seven acres ourselves this year." But Mangalabai knows the risks. "Look at our village. All families here are in the same boat. Unless something changes in farming, we'll all sink."
"This is the situation in Yavatmal and other districts," says Mr. Tiwari, "these widows are farmers who represent the true picture."
As Mr. Tiwari's letter to President Kalam also says: "We strongly feel that it all is not well in Vidharbha and therefore, it's not the right time for any cultural or dancing session inauguration ...We would be highly obliged if you could spare a few minutes to meet the unfortunate widows."
© Copyright 2000 - 2006 The Hindu

Farmers to greet Prez with black flags -TIMES NEWS NETWORK reports

Farmers to greet Prez with black flags
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Nagpur: Even as security arrangements for President A P J Abdul Kalam's visit, which is scheduled for June 15, were finalised at a high-level meeting of officials on Friday, farmers' leader Kishore Tiwari has threatened to greet him with black flags at Yavatmal, the district known as the epicentre of the unending spate of farmer suicides in the region। Kalam is to visit Yavatmal and Wardha during the day-long Vidarbha tour. Divisional commissioner Anand Limaye, state protocol department's principal secretary B P Pandey, joint protocol officer Shailesh Bijoor, joint commissioner of police Sayyed Ahmed, special IGP (Nagpur range) Ashok Ghivre, Amravati additional commissioner S M Sarkunde, Nagpur police special branch ACP Arvind Giri, Yavatmal collector Abha Shukla, Wardha collector Eknath Khobragade and Nagpur additional collector Chintaman Dahalkar were present at the meeting. Kalam will reach next Friday at 10.30 am by a special flight and proceed to Yavatmal where he is to attend a function at Amolakchand college. Later he will proceed to Wardha where he is to visit the Mahatma Gandhi Hindi International University. He will return to Nagpur in the evening and attend a function at the National Academy of Direct Taxes before flying back to New Delhi. Tiwari, president of the Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti, has also written an open letter to the President. Regretting that Kalam or his office had failed to respond to the daily information being sent by e-mail about farmer suicides and agrarian crisis by the Samiti, Tiwari has urged Kalam to spare some time to hear the grievances of the wives of those farmers who ended their lives because of the economic distress. In a statement the Samiti has said the widows will stage a protest during the visit. More than 428 farmers ended their lives this year, taking the toll to more than 4,000 in the past five years, Tiwari said. Meanwhile, Chhatra Sangharsh Samiti has also sought to raise issues plaguing the international Hindi university before the President.

न्ह्र्क तें विस्तिंग VIDARBHA-KOLAM STARVATION

VIDARBHA JAN ANDOLAN SAMITI

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

Tel No. (0712) 2282457 Mob No. 9422108846 / 9371137653 / 9373121947

(Regd Office : At Post : Pandharkawada-445 302, Tq : Kelapur, Distt : Yavatmal)

Ref No. VJAS/PIL-HC/Kolam Deaths/175/2007, June 2, 2007

PRESS NOTE – URGENT

NHRC ON STARVATION & MALNUTRITION DEATHS OF KOLAM TRIBALS :

NHRC Team to visit vidarbha on 4^th june to have on the spot of fact finding report on kolam starvation death and condition regarding Drinking Water, Health Care & BPL Benefits to Kolam Tribals

Petitioner VJAS to raise all issues of plights of Tribals and lack of support from Government before NHRC

NAGPUR, DATED 2^nd june 2007

After having very difficult atsk to save the maharashtra govt. before Nagpur Bench of Mumbai High Court in PIL pertaining to most serious issues of Starvation & Malnutrition Deaths of Kolam Tribals in Yavatmal District, Now team of NHRC(Natinal huma right commission) headed Dr.L.P..mishra is visitng on 4^th june to vidarbha .this NHRC team will visit all kolam pods to see in to facts raised by the kishor tiwari of vidarbha jan andolan samiti regading Government Apathy & lack of timely support from Mantralaya to address the various issues involving Right to Food, Shelter – Gharkul, Health Care, Education, Drinking Water, etc. to be made available to the distressed Tribals family in the Yavatmal District by the Ground Level Administration in solving the issues and the look in to the the Officials limitations in speedy implementing the Tribal Schemes for want of budgetary supports and approvals of the State Government.

Along with NHRC team ,it is reported Amravati Divisional Commissioner Dr. Sudhir Goyal , PIL Petitioner Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti President Sh. Kishore Tiwari and Counsels Adv. Firdos Mirza, Adv. Vinod Tiwari, Adv. Ajay Somani, Asst. Govt. Pleaders Smt. Bharti Dangre & Sh. Arvind Mujumdar and host of the Government Officials from Yavatmal District including District Collector Dr. Harshwardhan Kamble, Z.P. CEO Dr. Sikar Pardesi, Additional Tribal Commissioner Sh. Hmant Limaye, Dy. Commissioner - Civil Supply Sh. Hemant Pawar, Dy. Commissioner Sh. Jaywant Choudhari, I.D.T.P. Project Officer Sh. S.N.Saidane, Dr. Rathod (District Health Officer), Dy. Director of Health Services of Akola and other Officials of Tribals Development and District Administration will visit these kolam pods.NHRC is investigating the complaint filled by Petitioner Sh. Kishore Tiwari in the year 2003, in the wake of untimely, sudden starvation deaths of 52 Kolam Tribals which rocked entire nation in the year 2003.

It may be recalled that the report of High Power Committee appointed by the Hon'ble High Court had pointed out serious issues pertaining to Poor Health-Care, Contaminated & Poisonous Drinking Water, poor conditions of Ashram Schools run by Politicians, short coming in BPL Schemes and denial of benefits to the poor & innocent tribals families residing in 710 villages of tribals belts of Yavatmal Districts. Upon perusal of the report and on the request of PIL Petitioner, the High Court had ordered State Government to take immediate steps and submit Action Taken Report on the serious points raised by the High Power Committee headed by the Divisional Commissioner, Amravati in which Top IAS Officials where the Members of the said fact finding committee who all are the part of administration governing the control of various schemes. But in the joint meeting, officials express their limitations in solving various burning problems of the Tribals inspite of knowing fully well, as they lack in getting timely support from the State Government at Mantralaya even after their repeated efforts.

According to VJAS NHRC team will certainly be shocked to note that many of the villages are forced to drink fluoride contaminated and poisonous drinking water, non availability of Doctors in Tribals area, miserable conditions of shelter and housing, mis-managed Ashram Schools run by the Politicians, non inclusion of illegible families in BPL List due to delay in finalization of BPL list at Mantralaya level, guaranteed employment to the Tribals, etc.

NHRC has been adked for urgent needs for protection of deprived Tribal families whose fundamental Rights to Live & Liberty is infringed due to negligence of State Government as the Tribals have been denied Right to Food, Shelter, Health – Care, Drinking Water & Education inspite of the directions from the Hon'ble High Court.

limitations of timely support from Mantralaya, the results expected have not been seen effectively, even after four years of continued efforts of the District Administration. The Petitioner was very critical upon the lack of support from State Government and its apathy towards the burning issues of the Tribals in Yavatmal district for which the Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti is fighting continuously since last Seven Years.

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

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

Thanking you,

Yours faithfully,

Kishor tiwari

president

Vidarbha JanAndolan Samiti