- अगर हमारी अग्यानता की जड़ें गहरी व मज़बूत हैं ? -
- तो क्या आगे का पथ सरल व आसान हो सकता है ?
- शुरुआत कहाँ से की जाय ?
-------
१ - किसके लिए ? -
२ - मसीहा या पथ ? -
३ - लक्षण क्या अौर कैसे ? -
४ - आधुनिक, सरल व साधनों के अनुरूप ? -
५ - ग्यान की कमी, साधनों की कमी, या विश्वास की कमी ? -
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Monday, January 28, 2008
Learn One Teach One - Hindi MoinMoin Python Wiki
मोइन मोइन हिन्दी विकी - पाइथन साफ्टवेयर में हिन्दी भाषी तबके के लिए एक आधुनिक सरल व मुफ्त सेवा -
मोइन मोइन हिन्दी विकी - पाइथन साफ्टवेयर में हिन्दी भाषी तबके के लिए एक आधुनिक सरल व मुफ्त सेवा - क्या आप ग्रामीण तबके के हिन्दी भाषी हैं ?
क्या यही एक कारण है जिसकी वजह से पतलून पहनने वाले, व फर्राटे की अँग्रेज़ी बोलने वाले, आपको पछाड़ रहे हैं, अथवा आपको अपने हक से वंचित रखे हैं ?
- यह न समझें कि हिन्दी भाषी होने का अर्थ पिछडे होना है
- हिन्दी पाइथन सीखें व सिखाएँ -
- अौर अपने कार्य पर तत्परता से लग जाएँ
मोइन मोइन हिन्दी विकी - पाइथन साफ्टवेयर में हिन्दी भाषी तबके के लिए एक आधुनिक सरल व मुफ्त सेवा - क्या आप ग्रामीण तबके के हिन्दी भाषी हैं ?
क्या यही एक कारण है जिसकी वजह से पतलून पहनने वाले, व फर्राटे की अँग्रेज़ी बोलने वाले, आपको पछाड़ रहे हैं, अथवा आपको अपने हक से वंचित रखे हैं ?
- यह न समझें कि हिन्दी भाषी होने का अर्थ पिछडे होना है
- हिन्दी पाइथन सीखें व सिखाएँ -
- अौर अपने कार्य पर तत्परता से लग जाएँ
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Among the world's Hungriest and Poorest - Incredible India
Dear All,
With respect to "crude statistics", I do tend to take alarmist global indices published by global think tanks on a whole range and variety of global issues, with a "pinch of salt".
The question still remains :
1. How do we respond to such "crude statistics"
2. What do we actually manage to do about these issues with the resources at our disposal.
There is no doubt that a country with 1.2 billion people has its politicial leaders pining and whining for the embrace and pats on the back, of the outgoing White House resident, backed by well funded Washington based policy think tanks, rather than evolving long term food security policies and development paradigms.
In the backdrop of the US Farm Bill 2007, continued and insistent EU and US farm subsidies, the arm twisting of developing economies by the diplomats and negotiators of the same countries and economic blocs, in global trade forums, so called respected think tanks which routinely spew out alarmist statistics have a habit of hijacking agendas for reasons best known to them.
In this, they do seek the support and mental attention of diaspora communities as well as of the Oxbridge / IMF / World Bank / Brussels trained economists who keep kicking the stirrups of Indian economy.
This routinely brings to my mind the statement of Leo Tolstoy - " I sit on a man's back, choking him and making him carry me, and yet assure myself and others that I am very sorry for him and wish to ease his lot by all possible means - except by getting off his back. "
At the same time, serious and more appropriate analysts like Devinder Sharma and P Sainath are continually sidelined and merely tolerated, in the cacaphony raised by these strategic policy think tanks with vested agendas.
Warm Regards,
Nagarjuna
----------------------
The Indian elite keep ranting about the economy's growth rate while the corporate papers (Hindustan Times, Times of India, Indian Express etc) get all excited about the bullish stock market that has crossed the 19,000-point mark.
But what about half the population grinding under poverty and malnutrition?
The Washington-based International Food Policy Research Institute released its report "The World's Most Deprived: Characteristics and Causes of Extreme Poverty and Hunger" on 6th Nov 07. The Institute devised the global hunger index (GHI) as a measure of poverty & hunger in a country.
This report is the first of its kind to use household survey data to look at those living below the one-dollar-a- day line. The index is designed to capture three dimensions of hunger: lack of economic access to food, shortfalls in the nutritional status of children, and child mortality, which is largely attributable to malnutrition.
1) India ranks way down at 96 among 119 developing countries included in the report. Even Nepal is four notches higher at 92, Pakistan 88, Myanmar 68, Sri Lanka 69, China 47.
In contrast, Mauritius is among the top 20 of least hungry countries.
The report commented "The lack of improvement in India's GHI score between 1997 and 2003 despite continued growth is a cause for concern, since India's GHI still indicates alarming levels of hunger".
Across all developing regions of the world, the poorest households are most often located in remote rural areas with limited access to education, roads, and health services and members of these households often face exclusion due to their ethnicity, gender or disability.
Nagarjuna has interest in Food Policy issues and may like to comment further.
2) While child malnutrition has reduced, a separate study (see www.Indiatogether. org) finds that 1 in 2 Indian rural children under 3 is hungry.
3) And nearly 150,000 Indian farmers committed suicide in the period 1997- 2005, official data show. While farm suicides have occurred in many States, nearly two thirds of these deaths are concentrated in five States where just a third of the country's population lives. (See P Sainath, ZNet www.zmag.org, 12 Nov 07).
Two more recent statistics:
4) INDIA also leads the world in the number of women dying in childbirth - 117,000 in 2005.
This means a maternal mortality ratio of 450 deaths per 100,000 live births. The Pakistan figure is 320, Sri Lanka 58 and China 45 (one tenth of India's) [R Hensman, 19 Nov 07 www.countercurrents .org
5) Times of India, 20 Nov 07 reported that India has the largest number of illiterates in the world.
It ranks 126th out of 177 countries in the Human Development Index (UNDP 2006)
Eddie
With respect to "crude statistics", I do tend to take alarmist global indices published by global think tanks on a whole range and variety of global issues, with a "pinch of salt".
The question still remains :
1. How do we respond to such "crude statistics"
2. What do we actually manage to do about these issues with the resources at our disposal.
There is no doubt that a country with 1.2 billion people has its politicial leaders pining and whining for the embrace and pats on the back, of the outgoing White House resident, backed by well funded Washington based policy think tanks, rather than evolving long term food security policies and development paradigms.
In the backdrop of the US Farm Bill 2007, continued and insistent EU and US farm subsidies, the arm twisting of developing economies by the diplomats and negotiators of the same countries and economic blocs, in global trade forums, so called respected think tanks which routinely spew out alarmist statistics have a habit of hijacking agendas for reasons best known to them.
In this, they do seek the support and mental attention of diaspora communities as well as of the Oxbridge / IMF / World Bank / Brussels trained economists who keep kicking the stirrups of Indian economy.
This routinely brings to my mind the statement of Leo Tolstoy - " I sit on a man's back, choking him and making him carry me, and yet assure myself and others that I am very sorry for him and wish to ease his lot by all possible means - except by getting off his back. "
At the same time, serious and more appropriate analysts like Devinder Sharma and P Sainath are continually sidelined and merely tolerated, in the cacaphony raised by these strategic policy think tanks with vested agendas.
Warm Regards,
Nagarjuna
----------------------
The Indian elite keep ranting about the economy's growth rate while the corporate papers (Hindustan Times, Times of India, Indian Express etc) get all excited about the bullish stock market that has crossed the 19,000-point mark.
But what about half the population grinding under poverty and malnutrition?
The Washington-based International Food Policy Research Institute released its report "The World's Most Deprived: Characteristics and Causes of Extreme Poverty and Hunger" on 6th Nov 07. The Institute devised the global hunger index (GHI) as a measure of poverty & hunger in a country.
This report is the first of its kind to use household survey data to look at those living below the one-dollar-a- day line. The index is designed to capture three dimensions of hunger: lack of economic access to food, shortfalls in the nutritional status of children, and child mortality, which is largely attributable to malnutrition.
1) India ranks way down at 96 among 119 developing countries included in the report. Even Nepal is four notches higher at 92, Pakistan 88, Myanmar 68, Sri Lanka 69, China 47.
In contrast, Mauritius is among the top 20 of least hungry countries.
The report commented "The lack of improvement in India's GHI score between 1997 and 2003 despite continued growth is a cause for concern, since India's GHI still indicates alarming levels of hunger".
Across all developing regions of the world, the poorest households are most often located in remote rural areas with limited access to education, roads, and health services and members of these households often face exclusion due to their ethnicity, gender or disability.
Nagarjuna has interest in Food Policy issues and may like to comment further.
2) While child malnutrition has reduced, a separate study (see www.Indiatogether. org) finds that 1 in 2 Indian rural children under 3 is hungry.
3) And nearly 150,000 Indian farmers committed suicide in the period 1997- 2005, official data show. While farm suicides have occurred in many States, nearly two thirds of these deaths are concentrated in five States where just a third of the country's population lives. (See P Sainath, ZNet www.zmag.org, 12 Nov 07).
Two more recent statistics:
4) INDIA also leads the world in the number of women dying in childbirth - 117,000 in 2005.
This means a maternal mortality ratio of 450 deaths per 100,000 live births. The Pakistan figure is 320, Sri Lanka 58 and China 45 (one tenth of India's) [R Hensman, 19 Nov 07 www.countercurrents .org
5) Times of India, 20 Nov 07 reported that India has the largest number of illiterates in the world.
It ranks 126th out of 177 countries in the Human Development Index (UNDP 2006)
Eddie
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Hindu Copyrighted News Item about Widows Meeting
In case you want to read a news item regarding the Vidarbha farmer widows meeting with Indian President, you can do so directly at the website of The Hindu which publishes copyrighted news items.
http://www.thehindu.com/2007/06/16/stories/2007061601861300.htm
http://www.thehindu.com/2007/06/16/stories/2007061601861300.htm
Widows Share Grief with Departing Indian President
Farmers' widows pour out grief to Prez
Courtesy - 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.
Courtesy - 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.
Indian Farm Widows Allowed to Meet Indian President
vidarbha farm widows meets president of India-urged to save vidarbha dying farmer
from
vidarbha jan andolan samiti
vidarbha@gmail.com
contact-09422108846
yavatmal-15th june-2007
sub-vidarbha farm widows meets president of India-urged to save vidarbha dying farmer
lastly hon.ble president of india gave five minuts time to look at the helpless condition of vidarbha farm widows at yavatmal airport when he visited here to attend private function
delegation led by kolzari farm widows kamalbai pawar and his son prakash along with VJAS LEADER KISHOR TIWARI and 10 other widows has given the letter requesting him to save the dying vidarbha farmers
--------
text of the letter is
=============
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/DY.CM//1175/2007 15th June, 2007
To,
Dr. Shri A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
His Highness Hon'ble President of India
Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi – 110 001.
CAMP AT YAVATMAL (State of Maharashtra).
Sub : 1) FARMERS SUICIDES IN WESTERN PART OF THE VIDARBHA REGION OF MAHARASHTRA STATE :-
IDENTIFIED CAUSES OF FARMERS SUICIDE IN THE FAMILIES WITH EXTREME DISTRESS & WITH SERIOUS ILLNESS CATEGORIES AND THE REMEDIES THEREOF.
2) BT COTTON SEEDS KILLING FARMERS IN DRY LAND AREAS : bogus
& duplicate seeds freely sold due to apathy of state govt.
REF: Survey Report dated 15th June, 2006 conducted by the Government of Maharashtra's Vasantrao Naik Sheti Swawlamban Mission at Amravati in connection with the Farmers' plight
Hon'ble His Highness President Sir,
We are submitting this humble representation with kind prayer to exercise extraordinary powers given to Your Honour by the mandate of Article 78(b) of the Constitution of India to seek further immediate information from the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India being Head of Union Council of Ministers of your Government, in light of unpresented & unfortunate situation arising out of hundreds of suicides committed by distressed farmers in the Cotton Cultivating Belt of West Vidarbha Region of State of Maharashtra. You are aware that our India has seen that in Vidarbha Region of Maharashtra State, more than 4000 unfortunate farmers who have committed suicides in the last 4 years due to extreme distress & sorrow state of life, which they are subjected to live in the Independent India under the Presidential Regime of Your Honour.
At the outset, we are very much thankful for giving us an opportunity to appraise you the said grave issue of Farmers Suicides in the Cotton Growing Belt of Western Part of Vidarbha Region in the State of Maharashtra and to explain Your Honour the causes & immediate steps required to be taken by Union of India & State of Maharashtra thereon.
Hon'ble President Sir, Your Honour is well aware that our organization – Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti - is 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. You have been receiving our e-mails, letters, memorandums almost daily since Your Honour occupied the Apex Post of Indian Democracy.
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.
We are highlighting these points on the very basis of the above referred document, which is the 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.
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.
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.
THE FACTS & OUR EXPERIENCE :
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.
1) 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.
REMEDY SUGGESTED :
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.
Farmers families suffering from Serious Illness –
Identified Families : 92,456.
CAUSES IDENTIFIED :
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.
REMEDY SUGGESTED :
The State is providing medical / health services to BPL families at the subsidized rate amongst the farm / landless labourers. In order to stop the indirect plight due to serious illness coupled with hunger and starvation of these 92,456 Identified Farmers Families with Serious Illness, most of them are small farmers of which the economic condition is not above the landless labourers (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 labourers 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.
Other IMPORTANT causes identified
1. UNCONTROLLED & UNRESTRICTED Sale OF BOGUS & DUPLICATE SEEDS :- It has been observed that Bogus & duplicate seeds being sold to poor and illiterate farmers due to Non implementation by the Govt. of Maharashtra of the Seed Control Order, 1983 issued under Sec. 3 of Essential Commodities Act, 1955 to arrest and control the big wig seed trades and manufacturers. This massive corruption in sale of duplicate & bogus seeds has resulted in cheating of the farmer and increasing of debt due to improper farm yield because of poor and bogus quality of seeds being sold freely due to apathy of State Government. This has indirectly resulted the unfortunate suicide of the farmers who lost their crops due to poor quality of seeds being provided to them in lack of proper administrative control by the agriculture department quality & input of the seeds which otherwise could have been possible due to the stringent provisions contended in the seed control order, 1983 of Essential Commodities Act, 1955 if implemented in its true spirit & meaning. This failure on a part of State of Maharashtra to control the quality & input of seeds is one of the prime cause for the overall cheating and exploitation of the poor and illiterate farmers residing in the villages.
IMMEDIATE REMEDY
For immediate control of quality & input of seeds, it is high time that the State of Maharashtra be ordered by Union of India to implement the provisions of Seed Control Order 1983 and to instruct to issue delegation of power to its inspecting officer for control of quality & input seeds as required under sec. 12 of the Seed Control Order of Essential Commodities Act, 1955 which is the prime tool for the control of quality & input of seeds.
2. High cost of BT cotton seeds :- 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 is being freely propagated and sold at a very high cost of Rs. 2000/- to Rs. 3600/- Per Kg of BT cotton seeds, cost of which is virtually killing the farmers due to high input cost and low yield.
REMEDIES SUGGESTED :
There must be the 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 mis leading advertisement 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.
PRAYER
Hon'ble Sir, in view of above, it is humbly prayed that Your Honour will arrange to call for the information from the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India as per the Provisions of Article 78(b) of Constitution of India and give suitable directions to provide food and health care to the families of the farmers in distress and to implement the provisions of the Seeds Control Order, 1983 in its true spirit & meaning and also arrange to stop free sale & trials of BT Cotton Seeds in dry land areas of the nation, so that the unfortunate incident of farmers suicides can be stopped to some extent.
Hon'ble Sir, we hope to get justice in the interest of farmers at large.
Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,
For VIDARBHA JAN ANDOLAN SAMITI
KISHORE TIWARI
PRESIDENT
CC submitted to :
Hon'ble Governor, Govt. of Maharashtra, Raj Bhavan, Mumbai.
Hon'ble Prime Minister of India, PMO, North Block, Raj Path, New Delhi
Hon'ble Union Minister for Agriculture & Food – Civil Supply,
Govt. of India, Krishi Bhavan, New Delhi.
Copy to :
1. Hon'ble Chief Minister, Govt. of Maharashtra Mantralaya Mumbai-32.
2. Hon'ble Chief Secretary, Govt. of Maharashtra Mantralaya Mumbai-32.
3. Hon'ble Principal Secretary, Govt. of Maharashtra,
Deptt.of Relief & Rehabilitation, Mantralaya Mumbai-32.
4. Hon'ble Addl. Divisional Commissioner & Head of VNSSM at Amravati,
5. Hon'ble Collector, Yavatmal Distt. Yavatmal (MS)
6. Hon'ble Addl. Collector Yavatmal Distt. Yavatmal (MS)
from
vidarbha jan andolan samiti
vidarbha@gmail.com
contact-09422108846
yavatmal-15th june-2007
sub-vidarbha farm widows meets president of India-urged to save vidarbha dying farmer
lastly hon.ble president of india gave five minuts time to look at the helpless condition of vidarbha farm widows at yavatmal airport when he visited here to attend private function
delegation led by kolzari farm widows kamalbai pawar and his son prakash along with VJAS LEADER KISHOR TIWARI and 10 other widows has given the letter requesting him to save the dying vidarbha farmers
--------
text of the letter is
=============
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/DY.CM//1175/2007 15th June, 2007
To,
Dr. Shri A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
His Highness Hon'ble President of India
Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi – 110 001.
CAMP AT YAVATMAL (State of Maharashtra).
Sub : 1) FARMERS SUICIDES IN WESTERN PART OF THE VIDARBHA REGION OF MAHARASHTRA STATE :-
IDENTIFIED CAUSES OF FARMERS SUICIDE IN THE FAMILIES WITH EXTREME DISTRESS & WITH SERIOUS ILLNESS CATEGORIES AND THE REMEDIES THEREOF.
2) BT COTTON SEEDS KILLING FARMERS IN DRY LAND AREAS : bogus
& duplicate seeds freely sold due to apathy of state govt.
REF: Survey Report dated 15th June, 2006 conducted by the Government of Maharashtra's Vasantrao Naik Sheti Swawlamban Mission at Amravati in connection with the Farmers' plight
Hon'ble His Highness President Sir,
We are submitting this humble representation with kind prayer to exercise extraordinary powers given to Your Honour by the mandate of Article 78(b) of the Constitution of India to seek further immediate information from the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India being Head of Union Council of Ministers of your Government, in light of unpresented & unfortunate situation arising out of hundreds of suicides committed by distressed farmers in the Cotton Cultivating Belt of West Vidarbha Region of State of Maharashtra. You are aware that our India has seen that in Vidarbha Region of Maharashtra State, more than 4000 unfortunate farmers who have committed suicides in the last 4 years due to extreme distress & sorrow state of life, which they are subjected to live in the Independent India under the Presidential Regime of Your Honour.
At the outset, we are very much thankful for giving us an opportunity to appraise you the said grave issue of Farmers Suicides in the Cotton Growing Belt of Western Part of Vidarbha Region in the State of Maharashtra and to explain Your Honour the causes & immediate steps required to be taken by Union of India & State of Maharashtra thereon.
Hon'ble President Sir, Your Honour is well aware that our organization – Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti - is 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. You have been receiving our e-mails, letters, memorandums almost daily since Your Honour occupied the Apex Post of Indian Democracy.
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.
We are highlighting these points on the very basis of the above referred document, which is the 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.
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.
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.
THE FACTS & OUR EXPERIENCE :
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.
1) 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.
REMEDY SUGGESTED :
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.
Farmers families suffering from Serious Illness –
Identified Families : 92,456.
CAUSES IDENTIFIED :
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.
REMEDY SUGGESTED :
The State is providing medical / health services to BPL families at the subsidized rate amongst the farm / landless labourers. In order to stop the indirect plight due to serious illness coupled with hunger and starvation of these 92,456 Identified Farmers Families with Serious Illness, most of them are small farmers of which the economic condition is not above the landless labourers (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 labourers 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.
Other IMPORTANT causes identified
1. UNCONTROLLED & UNRESTRICTED Sale OF BOGUS & DUPLICATE SEEDS :- It has been observed that Bogus & duplicate seeds being sold to poor and illiterate farmers due to Non implementation by the Govt. of Maharashtra of the Seed Control Order, 1983 issued under Sec. 3 of Essential Commodities Act, 1955 to arrest and control the big wig seed trades and manufacturers. This massive corruption in sale of duplicate & bogus seeds has resulted in cheating of the farmer and increasing of debt due to improper farm yield because of poor and bogus quality of seeds being sold freely due to apathy of State Government. This has indirectly resulted the unfortunate suicide of the farmers who lost their crops due to poor quality of seeds being provided to them in lack of proper administrative control by the agriculture department quality & input of the seeds which otherwise could have been possible due to the stringent provisions contended in the seed control order, 1983 of Essential Commodities Act, 1955 if implemented in its true spirit & meaning. This failure on a part of State of Maharashtra to control the quality & input of seeds is one of the prime cause for the overall cheating and exploitation of the poor and illiterate farmers residing in the villages.
IMMEDIATE REMEDY
For immediate control of quality & input of seeds, it is high time that the State of Maharashtra be ordered by Union of India to implement the provisions of Seed Control Order 1983 and to instruct to issue delegation of power to its inspecting officer for control of quality & input seeds as required under sec. 12 of the Seed Control Order of Essential Commodities Act, 1955 which is the prime tool for the control of quality & input of seeds.
2. High cost of BT cotton seeds :- 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 is being freely propagated and sold at a very high cost of Rs. 2000/- to Rs. 3600/- Per Kg of BT cotton seeds, cost of which is virtually killing the farmers due to high input cost and low yield.
REMEDIES SUGGESTED :
There must be the 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 mis leading advertisement 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.
PRAYER
Hon'ble Sir, in view of above, it is humbly prayed that Your Honour will arrange to call for the information from the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India as per the Provisions of Article 78(b) of Constitution of India and give suitable directions to provide food and health care to the families of the farmers in distress and to implement the provisions of the Seeds Control Order, 1983 in its true spirit & meaning and also arrange to stop free sale & trials of BT Cotton Seeds in dry land areas of the nation, so that the unfortunate incident of farmers suicides can be stopped to some extent.
Hon'ble Sir, we hope to get justice in the interest of farmers at large.
Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,
For VIDARBHA JAN ANDOLAN SAMITI
KISHORE TIWARI
PRESIDENT
CC submitted to :
Hon'ble Governor, Govt. of Maharashtra, Raj Bhavan, Mumbai.
Hon'ble Prime Minister of India, PMO, North Block, Raj Path, New Delhi
Hon'ble Union Minister for Agriculture & Food – Civil Supply,
Govt. of India, Krishi Bhavan, New Delhi.
Copy to :
1. Hon'ble Chief Minister, Govt. of Maharashtra Mantralaya Mumbai-32.
2. Hon'ble Chief Secretary, Govt. of Maharashtra Mantralaya Mumbai-32.
3. Hon'ble Principal Secretary, Govt. of Maharashtra,
Deptt.of Relief & Rehabilitation, Mantralaya Mumbai-32.
4. Hon'ble Addl. Divisional Commissioner & Head of VNSSM at Amravati,
5. Hon'ble Collector, Yavatmal Distt. Yavatmal (MS)
6. Hon'ble Addl. Collector Yavatmal Distt. Yavatmal (MS)
Last Minute Permission - 5 Minutes Audience At Last
Nagpur, June. 14 :
The Maharashtra Government earlier denied permission to widows of farmers who committed suicide to meet President A P J Abdul Kalam during his visit to Yavatamal on June 15 by now after media exposed the apathy of administration over the farmers suicides issue, collector of yavatmal abha shukla infomed VJAS leader kishor tiwari that hon,ble president of India has given the permission to meet vidarbha farm widows delegation at yavatmal air port at around 10 a.m. for 5 minuts.
kamalabai goswami pawar and his son prakash pawar of village kolzari where indian prime minister Dr. manmohan singh was to visit last year on 1st july 2006 but failed to do so because of opposition of local administration and swarswatibai ramdas ambarwar the widows who featured in the yesterdays article of national daily hindu written by p.sainath has been included in the delegation .
widows nanda bhandare rekha gurnule and smita bakamwar will also present their plights of the vidarbha farm widows
The vidarbha jan andolan samiti earlier had sought a five-minute appointment with the President to brief him about the prevailing situation and the President's office also had shown keenness but it was rejected by the Maharashtra government, citing administrative and law and order problems
VJAS alleged thatd the government wants only the leader of the delegation to meet the President but this will not serve the purpose. If the President interacts with farmers and the widows, he will come to know about the condition of distressed farmers.
kishor tiwari added that the Samiti, which does not want to politicise the issue, decided to present case before the president and will request him ask details of farmers suicides under article 72 of Indian Constitution .In vidarbha in last 4 years more than 4000 cotton farmers committed suicides and vidarbha is sitting on suicide volcano so it is not expected to from president of India to attend fanfare of private college function ,VJAS leader has requested him to cut short his visit from air port itself so that it will not carry the wrong impression to international media who is covering vidarbha agrarian crisis ,kishor tiwari added.
we will try to present our case and raise main demands of loan waiver and better price to cotton before prez,so that it will serve our purpose to pressure maharashtra Govt.,kishor tiwari said
The Maharashtra Government earlier denied permission to widows of farmers who committed suicide to meet President A P J Abdul Kalam during his visit to Yavatamal on June 15 by now after media exposed the apathy of administration over the farmers suicides issue, collector of yavatmal abha shukla infomed VJAS leader kishor tiwari that hon,ble president of India has given the permission to meet vidarbha farm widows delegation at yavatmal air port at around 10 a.m. for 5 minuts.
kamalabai goswami pawar and his son prakash pawar of village kolzari where indian prime minister Dr. manmohan singh was to visit last year on 1st july 2006 but failed to do so because of opposition of local administration and swarswatibai ramdas ambarwar the widows who featured in the yesterdays article of national daily hindu written by p.sainath has been included in the delegation .
widows nanda bhandare rekha gurnule and smita bakamwar will also present their plights of the vidarbha farm widows
The vidarbha jan andolan samiti earlier had sought a five-minute appointment with the President to brief him about the prevailing situation and the President's office also had shown keenness but it was rejected by the Maharashtra government, citing administrative and law and order problems
VJAS alleged thatd the government wants only the leader of the delegation to meet the President but this will not serve the purpose. If the President interacts with farmers and the widows, he will come to know about the condition of distressed farmers.
kishor tiwari added that the Samiti, which does not want to politicise the issue, decided to present case before the president and will request him ask details of farmers suicides under article 72 of Indian Constitution .In vidarbha in last 4 years more than 4000 cotton farmers committed suicides and vidarbha is sitting on suicide volcano so it is not expected to from president of India to attend fanfare of private college function ,VJAS leader has requested him to cut short his visit from air port itself so that it will not carry the wrong impression to international media who is covering vidarbha agrarian crisis ,kishor tiwari added.
we will try to present our case and raise main demands of loan waiver and better price to cotton before prez,so that it will serve our purpose to pressure maharashtra Govt.,kishor tiwari said
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