08/05/2007

Western Vidarbha :

1. TANAJI MAHAU LUNGE OF MANJAR JAWALA IN YAVATMAL
2. DILIP BALIRAM BAVASKAR OF PINJAR IN AKOLA
3. HARIBHAU PARASRAM BONDRE OF CHATARA IN BHANDARA
4. JIVAN SUDAM ADE OF DHANORA IN YAVATMAL
5. SHARVAN WALGUJI HANDE IN ARVI-LAHAN IN WARDHA
6. SAHEBRAO BALIRAM KHALBALKAR IN AKOLA

Farmers Suicides : Year 2007 - Vidarbha - GM Cotton
Total farmers in May : 21
Reported Suicides : 371
JAN - 70
FEB - 88
MARCH - 97
APRIL 95
MAY - 21

Bt Cotton seeds, Bollgard, Dryland farming, black cotton soil, hard working farmers, media sensitive philosophical bureaucrats, urban economists, callous politicians in Nagpur, Mumbai, Delhi.

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Data and Figures :
Indian rural distress - Political economy of Indian Agriculture and Cotton Farmers of Maharashtra, western Vidarbha.

Six Blind Men of Hindoostan :
The Buddhist story of six blind men of Hindustan, often disparagingly referred to by British colonial writers as applying to the Indian inability to govern themselves, is being repeated in modern day Indian agriculture, despite large scale media firefighting at the level of Indian Prime Minister, Agriculture Minister, PMO office, Maharashtra government and local cotton buying federations, banks, traders.

Year 2007, record sowing of Bollgard Cotton seeds has been reported even though Indian banks have not been advancing loans to defaulter farmers.
This situation is caused by seeds companies appointing an elaborate chain / network of distributors who are giving credit to distressed and indebted farmers.
The exact nature of economic arrangements, between farmers and these local money lenders is not regulated by Indian Agriculture Ministry or by the concerned local Relief and Rehabilitation officials posted in Maharashtra.
No guidelines regarding Bt Cotton sowing or advice to farmers regarding Crop Insurance has been issued by concerned government officials.