Another ‘Black Diwali’ for Vidarbha farmers as six more farmers suicides reported on ‘Diwali Eve’
Another ‘Black Diwali’ for Vidarbha farmers as six more farmers suicides reported on ‘Diwali Eve’ –PM urged to intervene worsening Agrarian Crisis
Complete cotton and soybean crop failure coupled with massive recession in cotton and soybean market price trading much below hostile minimum support prices (MSP) has added fuel in to existing despair and distress in debt-trapped Vidarbha cotton and soybean growing farmers as six more ill-fated farmers suicides reported on the eve of Diwali ,four from most farm suicide affected region Yavatmal and one each from Akola and Amaravati indentified as per reports are1.Rajendra Chahand of village Kelzara ,2.Dutta Chede of Umari(Pathar),3.Nagraj Mahadolhe of Parva ,4.Arun Kurnule of Gangapur all Yavatmal district ,5.Kisan Sanap of village Chincholi in Akola and 6. Manoj Futane of Shendurjana-Ghat in Amaravati ,taking toll 906 in 2014 , Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti (VJAS) chief Kishire Tiwari said today.
‘Vidarbha region which is known as farm suicide capital of India since 2004 has voted BJP in recently concluded assembly election ,same was trend in last parliament election of April 2014 , as people have been disappointed by Congress ruled Governments at the centre and state ,BJP has promised to address core issues of distress which is prevailing debt, loss making market prices of cotton an soybean,urgent compensation for the crop failure but healing touch from PM Modiji is not coming moreover State BJP leaders has lost is focus over the agrarian crisis of region as they are involved in ‘Power Politics’ hence now there is only hope from PM to intervene to stop this vidarbha farmers genocide ‘ Tiwari urged.
‘High hopes and toll promises given by Indian prime minister and state leaders to more than 10 million cotton ,soybean and paddy growing farmers that minimum support price will given on the basis formula that farmers investment plus 50% profit and drought affected dry land Maharashtra farmers to get complete farm loan waiver these promises has not even appeared in the manifesto of BJP but very worse 15 year experience of Cong-NCP has no option left but recent apathy is increasing despair and gloom in cotton farming community hence vidarbha farmers are no looking towards PM to visit vidarbha and understand ground reality and resolve the farm debt, cotton soybean MSP issue urgently’ Tiwari said.
‘This year too earlier monsoon delayed by two months and now after 15 September there is dry spell and Govt. has already declared most of western vidarbh as drought prone too, hence issue raising minimum support price of cotton, soybean and paddy is critical and frem farm credit with complete loan waiver is must . Vidarbha Janandolan Samti (VJAS) has earlier too drawn attention of PM toward the latest National Crime Records Bureau report that since 1995 to 2013 more than 3,00,000 farmland suicides reveal that every fifth farmer who ended his/her life in the country is dry land cotton farmer from Maharashtra whereas with 3,146 distressed farmers ending their lives last year, Maharashtra has topped the list of farmland suicides in the country hence this is need of the hour to adopt pro-poor farmers policies to stop innocent cotton farmers genocide which was triggered in last regime of NDA when quantitative restrictions on import was lifted under the WTO conditions of free trade treaties ,(VJAS) chief Kishore Tiwari said today.
Globalization-Free trade besides Unpredictable rains with intermittent dry or wet droughts lead to crop failures and increasing cost of inputs and cultivation practices, mono-culture or dependence on a single crop only, poor awareness of agronomics, and lack of proper farm credit availability lead to an increased hold of private moneylenders are core issues Indian budget should address,said Tiwari, whose NGO has been documenting the Vidarbha crisis since 1995.
VJAS recalled promise of PM Modiji of introducing the renowned farm scientist M S Swaminathan’s formula for fixation of MSP which provides for cost plus 50 per cent remuneration to the farmers as the basis of fixation of MSP for agricultural crops should be looked into during the process of finalization of Union Budget for 2014-15 that is only way to make agriculture far more sustainable besides ensuring no farmer was compelled to either leave this occupation or commit suicide.
As most of distressed Small and marginal farmers who committing suicide are debt trapped hence complete loan waiver and Fresh interest free short term crop loans whereas other farmers should be given crop loans at 2 per cent, urging for one time debt relief package should be provided for all farmers, Tiwari added.
As earlier agricultural development policies failed to remove ever-increasing stress on dying farmers allowing mass genocide of more than 3 lacs farmers mostly involved in to cash crops subjected free market price speculations and needs protected economy on price front with reintroduction direct subsidies for promoting sustainable agriculture hence this appeal, Tiwari urged.
