Vidarbha farmers flays Maharashtra’s Rs 2,000 cr Historic Package

Vidarbha farmers flays Maharashtra’s Rs 2,000 cr Historic  Package

Nagpur-24^th december2011

Vidarbha farmers strongly objected Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan statement that the Rs 2,000 crore package for cotton, soya and paddy growers that was announced by the state recently as historic as the bailout package for crop failure of around 10 million hector cotton, soya and paddy to tune of more than Rs.20,000 crore hence aid is just peanut will not address the hardship of 7 million farm families effected in this manmade agrarian calamity, Kishor Tiwari, president of Nagpur-based Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti, (VJAS), activist group working for cotton farmer rights in a Press release today..

 ‘Yes we are agree with CM that package was "never seen before" and not likely to be seen again, but if he knows ground reality of agrarian crisis hit rural Maharashtra then he should have understood what nonsense he is talking about, when state is facing problem for monthly salary of the Babus over burdened with debt of 2.87 thousand crore ,he is misleading the media and state too which most unfortunate” Tiwari added.

The Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan announced the details of the Rs2,000-crore compensation package for cotton, paddy and soya farmers on the concluding day of the state legislature’s winter session which has completely disappointed 7 million debt trapped cotton ,soya and paddy rowers of Maharashtra when  CM said dying distressed cotton farmer would get Rs4,000 per hectare whereas paddy and soya farmers would be given Rs2,000 per hectare in cash to maximum limit of 2 hector per farm family more over two hectares is the maximum limit for the relief, paddy and soya farmers would get the compensation only if their loss is 25% or more giving the scope for administration to reject most crop failure and agrarian crisis hit  farmers will not get anything in their hands. Its better to not announce the package at all,”  Tiwari said,

“farmers of vidarbha region are demanding hike in cotton procurement price to @ Rs.6000/-  in order to compensate the losses incurred by them and cash compensation @ Rs.20,000 per hector but state has announced Rs.2000 crore for nearly 90 lakh hector which will peanut hence there is demand to revised the relief package and to sort out issues of dry land farmers which are victims of Agrarian crisis  and needs income base incentive to stop their on going suicides and such steps are must and should taken without delay but CM salient over the price front and long term solution likely trigger further fall of cotton prices and will additional fuel to farm suicide spiral which has killed more than 8000 cotton farmer since 2004 in west vidarbha alone  ” ,Tiwari added.

Maharashtra DF Govt. today most waited announcement of giving Rs.2000 crore relief package for 40 lakhs hector crop loss compensation is another eyewash as earlier  vidarbha farmer packages of year 2005 and 2006 has dashed hopes of more than 5 million farmers  who are facing severe economical crisis due to massive crop failure who are demanding the bailout package and hike in MSP of cotton ,soybean and paddy  as this will trigger another spiral of farmer suicides having failed to address the basic issue of price and future sustainability of dying agrarian community ,Kishor Tiwari added.

‘It was most expected that after CM indicated earlier that bankrupt financial condition of Maharashtra can’t even give Rs.8000/- per farm family maximum to 5 millions cotton farmers where there is crop failure against the demand of Rs.10,000/- and  the cotton farmers of western vidarbha will get nothing as administration has shown minimum crop failure in this region and now out 70 lakh hector area under cultivation of cotton, soya and paddy whop will get what that god know?. Farmers and all parties including congress NCP that MRP hike in cotton ,soya and paddy and cash compensation in line with sugarcane growers of western Maharashtra but once again Govt. has mad mockery of agrarian crisis and announced such penny relief  which is nothing but hoax’ Tiwari   added.

‘we are demanding long term solution to agrarian crisis not any package which are mostly contractor driven and designed to rehabilitation of the ill managed politician runs cooperative banks. our farmers are working for handful MNCs who are manufacturing Gm seed, fertilizer and pesticides and revival of own agriculture is must which is not being done ’ Tiwari said.

"There is a need for state government's intervention in this regard. The government should provide at least Rs 6,000 per quintal. The chief minister Prithviraj Chavan had promised that he would talk with the union government for better support price for the raw cotton. However, nothing has been done in this regard," Tiwari alleged.