27/06/2007

Western Vidarbha - Nagpur - 27th June 2007

Unending saga of vidarbha farmers suicides is till continue as five more farmers suicides reported in last 48 hours ,fresh victims of on going agrarian crisis are :

1. SADASHIV ZITOBA NOBANRE OF MADANGAON IN BHANDARA
2. RAMESH BHAGWAN KURWADE OF PARAS IN AKOLA
3. BANDU NAMDEV GAWAI OF ADEGOAN KURD IN AKOLA
4. RAMHARI SADASHIV JANGAM OF SELU INWARDHA
5. MOHAN RAMESHWAR BHARI OF RAIKHED IN AKOLA

Dry Cow Therapy, Rural Distress, Indian Economists

Dry Cow Therapy, Rural Distress, Indian Economists : New Agriculture Strategy
From Second Green Revolution to Milking the Cow Dry -

The concerned Indian Prime Minister, has been left searching for the right answers from all the agricultural experts, while his own Agriculture Minister ignores the suicides from his home state and manages the strings of the Indian cricket team, a job no doubt he loves more than finding answers to the task entrusted to him as Indian Agriculture Minister - saving farmers from rural distress.
Another case of Humpty Dumpty on the rural front, as Indians get busy with cricket season.
Even the Indian Sensex Minister is now feeling short changed, by the massive imports bills, deposited on his doorsteps, on the food front, which threaten to blow a hole through his economic strategy of industrial development and growth in Services sectors.
Soon after suggesting budgetary support and subsidies for sugar exporters, the Agriculture Minister has gone ahead on a global buying spree for wheat. He just does not seem to like Punjabi and Haryanvi wheat. It is not tasty enough for him or maybe a trifle too full of pesticides for even his liking.
In a bid to wash off the spots on the UPA governments Three Year Achievements, and what even the lacklustre opposition performance by the NDA could not accomplish, is being accomplished in the rural fields of Vidarbha and West Bengal.
Understandably, genuine Congress election strategists are worried.
Let us examine the content of the Prime Minister's concern about Indian rural distress, worded as it is in very general terms and coming on the heels of the three years of crowning achievements of the Central ruling UPA coalition and the electoral losses in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.
In his directions to Planning Commission, Finance Minister and Cricket Minister he has pointed out :
1. Poor growth in farm output, at approximately 2%, is the main cause of agrarian and rural distress
2. There is need for focussing on short and medium term strategies for raising farm output
3. Burden of blame must be strategically be shared with states, as according to his understanding, the Central UPa government is having to face too much unnecessary criticism as being the most responsible player in the rural distress drama of Indian politicians and urban economists. The solution to this is seen as rewarding those states which come out with agrarian focussed programmes, agro climatic and local rural growth strategies, with possible budgetary support.

Surprisingly, the music of the old song of ushering in a Second Green Revolution, futures trading in commodities markets, contract farming, agro processing Special Export Zones, seems to have been lost in the wake of Vidarbha and Uttar Pradesh debacles.

He has stated "I would only like to emphasise that whatever strategies we choose to adopt must deliver some results in the short and medium term, so that tangible benefits are visible - to farmers, consumers and the rural economy as a whole.
This is important if we have to avert any crisis in the agrarian sector and fulfil the needs of a growing economy."
All the king's horses and all the kings men, couldn't put Humpty together again ... He directed the Planning Commission to come up with a major programme to enhance central support to those states that prepare localised plans.

This obviously means he is still not prepared to ask his heavy weight Cricket Minister to choose between Cricket, Food Imports or solving Agrarian Distress in his home state of Maharashtra.

The poor Finance Minister is keeping his cards close to his chest and will surely resist tooth and nail, attempts at further central aid to states because he himself knows the dubious record of states in preparing sensitive rural programmes of integrated development, as also knowing that further expansion of agricultural land exploitation is not feasible. Also known as the milking the dry cow therapy.
But the problem is who will be brave enough to bell the cat ?
And who will ask the stichers of the Naked Emperor's fantastic Invisible clothes to retire and stop promoting American experts as the saviors of Indian agriculture ?
Even American media is now caressing the Indian Prime Minister for his kind and visionary words on distributive justice, as the US trade delegations swoop down on Indian fields and agriculture laboratories from America.

Time Magazine Article - 17/05/2007

Thursday, May. 17, 2007 - Seeds of Despair
By Simon Robinson / Sunna
It might have been borrowing another $100 just to keep his family going that finally convinced Pravin Bakkamwar to end his life. Or maybe it was knowing that he needed to find a husband for his 18-year-old sister Suwarana, and then pay her dowry and arrange a suitable wedding―responsibilities that would push him further into debt. What his family knows is this: on a sunny morning in central India in late November last year, Pravin, 27, rode his motorbike to a nearby town, bought a few meters of red and yellow nylon cord, returned to his gently sloping cotton farm and hanged himself from a concrete power pole. Neighbors found him within minutes, blood trickling from his mouth.

The story of India today is one of great expectations, as soaring economic growth lifts tens of millions of people out of poverty and swells the ranks of the middle class. But India's progress has also brought sorrow to many farmers and rural workers, who still make up two-thirds of the country's workforce.
The income disparity in the new India is massive : there are now 36 billionaires in India―and some 800 million people living on less than $2 a day. In the most desperate pockets of rural India, a confluence of factors, from poor rainfall to the new availability of consumer goods, has driven some farmers into crushing debt. The financial hardships are so extreme that thousands, including Pravin, commit suicide every year. Far from benefiting from the country's new prosperity, whole villages of India's rural poor are being left adrift, eager to join in the boom but unable to afford it.

The crisis is worst in Vidarbha, an orange- and cotton-growing region in central India famed for its black soil and the fact that Mahatma Gandhi built an ashram and lived there for a time in the 1930s. Now Indians know it as their nation's rural suicide capital. According to Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti, or Vidarbha People's Protest Forum, an activist group that keeps track of farmer suicides in the area and lobbies the government for help, more than 1,250 farmers committed suicide in Vidarbha's six central districts alone in 2006, up from 248 in 2004.

What's causing so many rural Indians to take their lives? According to a study by the government of Maharashtra, the state in which Vidarbha sits, almost six in 10 of those who kill themselves have debts of between $110 and $550. Many farmers complain that banks don't offer them credit, forcing them to turn to rapacious moneylenders, who typically charge up to 20% interest on a four-month loan. As collateral, explains one lender in the bustling town of Pandharkawada, farmers often sign away title to their land. "If they pay back the loan, we give them back their deed," says the lender, who called himself "Ratanbhai" but refused to give his full name because of a recent government crackdown on unlicensed lenders. "If they don't, we get to take their land."

Predatory lenders are only part of the problem. Health-care and education costs have risen dramatically in the past few years, while the global price of cotton has become depressed, largely because of the billions of dollars in subsidies Washington hands out to U.S. farmers. "Expenses have increased, eating habits have increased. Health, education, all increased," says Gajanan Madhavrao Akkalawar, 70, who has farmed cotton for more than half a century. "It's difficult to run the family show." And then there's the growing obsession with the luxury goods that now consume much of Indian families' incomes. Television has given even the poorest a glimpse at the world outside. India is adding more than 6 million cell-phone subscribers every month, many of them in small villages and towns; its road network is quickly expanding, bringing increased commerce, trade and ideas. "If I say to people that materialism is upsetting the equilibrium of society, they stand up and say, 'Why should we be deprived of all these things? Why should only the people in the cities get these things?'" says Kishor Tiwari, the head of Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti. "The natural tendency is to adopt all these new things, whether the pocket permits it or not."

That's how it went with Pravin, who wanted the best for his family even if he couldn't afford it. Pravin's family lives near Pandharkawada town, in Sunna, a village of dirt streets and pale blue and whitewashed brick houses. The air hangs heavy with the smell of goats, cattle and chickens, and farmers use wooden bullock carts to carry their cotton and animal feed. Doors are strung with mango leaves to bring good luck, and women stretch their washing over twig fences. Pravin took over the family farm from his father four years ago when the old man tired of the task. The son proved a natural farmer, increasing yields and, initially at least, bringing in more money. His wife Smita, a distant cousin, was studying literature at university, but says she was happy to stop once it was time for them to marry. "Pravin was in the village and I had been to the city, but he didn't let me down in any way," says Smita. "He was very much a hard worker. No one in the village will deny he was the best young man."

Pravin put enormous pressure on himself to be a success. Smita came from a middle-class family far wealthier than his own. Her father had been an operator at India's National Thermal Power Corp., a job that paid well and enabled him to give all his four daughters a good education. Pravin wanted to keep Smita the way her father had. His motorbike, a black-and-gold 97-cc Hero Honda Splendor Plus, cost him just over $1,000, a fortune considering he made just a few hundred dollars a year. "I told him it was not affordable, not needed," says his father Vijay. "He said he needed it to get to the fields. The young these days―they want more luxuries with less tension." Pravin had taken a loan from a local banking cooperative for the motorbike, and further loans from moneylenders to buy seeds, fertilizer and pesticide. But like most rural Indian men, conservative and proud, he had not discussed his worries with his wife. "He was smiling all the time," says Smita. Yet Pravin owed at least $2,800 when he hanged himself.

The government says it is taking steps to assist Vidarbha's farmers. Mindful that a backlash in the countryside led to the last national government's ouster from office, the Maharashtra state administration and the Congress Party-led coalition in New Delhi have promised to pump almost a billion dollars into Vidarbha's rural sector. Authorities have arrested dozens of unlicensed moneylenders and pushed banks to offer more farmers credit at reasonable rates. The government is also trying to encourage farmers to diversify into other crops and into dairy and poultry production. A little more than half the money in the rescue packages will go to irrigation projects that could transform the region in the long term but offer little relief in the near future―a bone of contention for many farmers who say they need government help now.

No amount of help will be enough for widows like Smita, who tried to kill herself when she learned of her husband's suicide (the villagers stopped her). "Just like impossible," says Smita's sister Durga when asked if Smita, who is 23, might ever marry again. "She wants to be independent and get her own job, but in this place it's difficult." Her grieving father-in-law says that Smita was pregnant when Pravin killed himself but lost the baby after her own suicide attempt. When asked what she and Pravin had wanted for the future, Smita's eyes well up: "We wanted what every husband and wife wants. Nothing more."
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Find this article at:
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1622180,00.html

15/05/2007 - PM Vidarbha Package and Farmers

Aid yet to reach Vidarbha farmers : Surendra Gangan
http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1097122

A meagre number have till now received the package of Rs 25,000 -

Though the state government has been claiming the implementation of 88 per cent of its special package for debt-ridden farmers of the Vidarbha region, the package of Rs25,000 each to thousands of farmers has not reached them yet, this apart from the government's non-compliance with its crop insurance schemes.

The state had earmarked Rs150 crores, out of the entire package of Rs1,075 crores allocated by the state, to help the debt-ridden farmers of Vidarbha. But, only Rs85 crores were allocated for the package of Rs25,000 each to nearly 60,000 farmers, out of which a meagre number of farmers have received the personal help. Expenditures have reached a mere Rs49.99 crores of the allocated amount. Even the crop insurance scheme has spent only Rs9.87 crores out of the allocated Rs19 crores.

In its presentation made to the central government last week, the state claimed Rs884.32 crores were spent of the package with a layout of Rs1,075 crores under nine different heads. The centre had also announced a special package of Rs3,750 crores to be utilised over the next three years.
"We have spent Rs 1,551.66 crores in the first year, which is 102 per cent of the allotted lay out. We have been successful in bringing 17,171 hectares under irrigation," an official from the rehabilitation department said.

The state has been prompt in its compensation to cotton-growing farmers. The state had targeted Rs370 crores and allocated Rs405.15 crores for three per cent capital formation fund, out of which Rs396.59 was spent. Interest subsidy on rescheduled crop loan, had a target of Rs225 crores and allocation Rs240.98 crores, out of which Rs 239.12 crores were spent.

The report states that 2,990 cases of suicides of debt-ridden farmers were registered during January 2001 and May 5, 2007, out of which 1,333 families of the deceased farmers have received ex-gracia assistance of Rs 1 lakh each.

Volte face by Maharashtra and PMO - PM vidarbha Package

From Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti :
PMO APATHY TO VIDARBHA RELIEF PACKAGE:

MAHARASHTRA GOVT. MISLEAD SUPREME COURT
NAGPUR-13TH APRIL, 2007

It is reported that in order to save volte face of non functioning of PMO regarding follow up relief aid distribution as announced by Indian prime minister as vidarbha farmers relief package of rs.3750 crore, the Maharashtra government has withdrawn its allegations against the Prime Minister's Office of delaying the release of additional funds for ex-gratia assistance to suicide-affected farmers' families in the state.

The allegation caused a major embarrassment to Prime Minister Man Mohan Singh and the Congress, as the party was a senior partner in the coalition government in Maharashtra.

This central assistance authorised district collectors to sanction Rs 10,000 for a suicide-affected family for health and education related expenses. An amount of Rs 50 lakh each was placed for disposal with the six district collectors for this purpose in August 2006.

In an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court, the state had said, "this amount has fully been disbursed to the needy families and the state government has been requesting the Prime Minister's Office for additional funds. The State has even earmarked Rs 1.80 crore from the Chief Minister's Fund, with a view to keep the scheme running otherwise the scheme had to be stopped for the delay in receiving grants from the PMO."

"This is completely false affidavit as relied aid has not given to affected farm widows and farmers' families as on today" PIL Petitioner Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti President Kishore Tiwari in nagpur bench of mumbai high court in the same issue has informed today that maharashtra Govt. has given untrue and misleading information in the recent affidavit as relief data given by the on their web site does not support made in this affidavit in fact PMO was only spectators to farm suicides after 1st July 2006 and there is no action from PMO on record ,kishor tiwari added

The affidavit had come in response to a PIL filed by advocate Sanjeev Bhatnagar seeking review of the current agriculture policy in view of suicides committed by thousands of farmers in various parts of the country.

It is reported in the press today that now, Maharashtra's Joint Secretary and OSD, Relief and Rehabilitation, Praveen Srivastava has filed an additional affidavit seeking to delete the allegations against the PMO.

Srivastava alleged that a particular sentence of the affidavit had been torn out and misinterpreted out of context by a section of press to interpret that the state government was putting the blame on the PMO for the delay in making available funds.

"I am constrained to file this additional affidavit so as to make the record clear and unambiguous and lead no manner of doubt as to the contentions of 2nd Respondent (Maharashtra) in this regard," Srivastava said in the affidavit.

Instead, Maharashtra requested the court to allow it to add two additional pages appreciating Singh's visit to Vidarbha, announcement of package for farmers and his support to the scheme.

This is the mockery of the relief operation as more than 1000 farmers suicides have been reported by Maharashtra state Govt. on the web site officially after the announcement of the relief package by Indian Prime Minister now as face saving device both are misleading the apex court, it's unfortunate and we will move against both Govt. at the central level and local level as matter of contempt of court, Kishor Tiwari further added.

07/04/2007

Western Vidarbha :

1. SHYAMRAO KALBANDE, GRAMKATKHEDE, WASHIM
2. ANIL JADHAV, MORAD, WASHIM

05/04/2007

Western Vidarbha :

1. SURYABHAN CHAVAN, YAWALI, YAVATMAL
2. DEVIDAS WADE, KHURHA, AMARAVATI
3. YOGESH PARIKHE, KISANAPUR, AMARAVATI
4. GAJANAN POHANE, KAWTHAL, WASHIM

THE RECENT REPORTS OF BANK RECOVERIES UP TO 31ST MARCH, SHOWS THAT COTTON FARMERS ARE IN DEEP ECONOMICAL CRISIS BECAUSE COTTON CROP FAILURE AND POOR MARKET RATE FOR COTTON. THIS SITUATION TOO CRITICAL TO EXPLAIN AS ACCORDING TO MAHARASHTRA GOVT. OFFICIAL REPORT THE AGRARIAN CRISIS IN THE WEST VIDARBHA IS VERY CRITICAL AND 1. 2 MILLION FARMERS OUT OF 1.7 MILLION FARMER IN THE REGION ARE UNDER DISTRESS AND MORE THAN 4,35000 ARE SUICIDE PRONE AND UNDER MAXIMUM DISTRESS, NEEDS FOOD SECURITY, HEALTH SECURITY AND COMPLETE SOCIAL PROTECTION BUT THESE BASIC ISSUES ARE NOT ADDRESSED IN THESE ANNOUNCEMENT

31/03/2007

Western Vidarbha :

1. BIJARAM ATRAM, VILLAGE TEMBHI, YAVATMAL
2. GANESH DUMARE, PALASGOAN, WARDHA
3. DHANRAJ PARSUTKAR, NANDGOAN PODE, CHANDRAPUR
4. ARUN KANOJE, PIMPRI MODAK, WASHIM
5. BHUSHAN DHOTE, RAMPURI TOLI, BHANDARA
6. AVINASH LENTHARE, VILLAGE TAKALI, WARDHA
7. PRAKASH NIBHORKAR, GADCHIROLI, GADCHIROLI
8. HARI DHOTE, INDARWADA, NAGPUR

Despite Bhau VilasRao Deshmukh, Maharshtra CM's claim, that suicide rates were going down, 95 farmers ended their lives last month
Death row No. of suicides
2007 March 95 February 88 January 70 2006
2006 July 90 August 111 Sept 125 Oct 112 Nov 107 Dec 105

- Hindustan Times Report of Mr Pradip Maitra :
pradipmaitra@hindustantimes.com

http://epaper.hindustantimes.com/artMailDisp.aspx?article=01_04_2007_004_011&typ=1&pub=264

You can find it at: ' Farmer suicides highest in March'HindustanTimes ePaper
-----------------
Morshi in Amaravti has been shocked when four member of cotton farmer family reported dead due to food poisoning, VJAS has demanded C.B.I. enquiry in to matter in order to rule out the possibility of mass suicide due distress as 3 more farmers suicides reported today on 25 th march 2007,

1. SUBHASH MOHURLE, VILLAGE KINHI, YAVATMAL

2. SHANKAR ZODE, DEWALA, YAVATMAL

3. DAVIDAS TAYADE, BRAHMAN THADI, AMARAVATI

24/03/2007

Western Vidarbha : Home state of political heavy weight, tough talking, ALL ROUNDER, Indian Cricket Minister, also working part time, as Indian Agriculture Minister, and at the same time also as Indian Food Minister, and also as Indian Food Imports Minister.

1. NAMDEO TAG, MURTIJAPUR, AKOLA
2. ANKUSH LATHAL, CHATKHED, AKOLA
3. BABAN BHIMATE KRISHNNA, WASHIM
4. RAMESH NEMANE, PASARNI, WARDHA
5. SURESH KADAM, SALPHAD, WARDHA
6. KISHATTANNA DESHATTIWAR, CHANAKH, YAVATMAL
7. DIKARAM DHOTTARKAR, TADULWANI, NAGPUR
8. PRABHAKAR KALE, ALIPUR, WARDHA
9. BHAGWANTRAO PHUNDKAR, KHUBHARGOAN, AMARAVATI

21/03/2007

Western Vidarbha :
1. DEVIDAS RATHODE, PIMPARI(PANDHURNA), YAVATMAL
2. SADASHIV SHRIRAME, KAMATHWADA, YAVATMAL
3. ASHOK ONKAR, KURAHAD, YAVATMAL
4. JANRAO WANKHEDE, RAMTEK, WASHIM
5. SAWARAM RATHODE, SHIGANAPUR, WASHIM

18/03/2007

Western Vidarbha :

1.BHAGWAN DOEJAD OF VILLAGE DEVELGOAN-MAI IN BULDHANA
2.GAJANAN KALE OF MANGURALA (KURD) IN YAVATMAL
3.KAPIL BHAWARE OF VIALLAGE TAD SAWALI IN YAVATMAL
4.AMBADAS MORKAR OF DHAMANI IN WASHIM DISTRCIT
5.BABRAO MATARMARE OF VILLAGE MOHARI IN WASHIM
6.RAVINDRA NAWATHE OF VIALLGE WANI IN WARDHA

09/03/2007

Western Vidarbha :

1. MODHUKAR GANJU RATHODE, GAWADGOAN, VILLAGE, AKOLA
2. OMKAR CHANDU RAHAGANDALE, ASADI TANDA, GONDIA
3. KISHORE RAMRAO GAWANDE, VILLAGE CHONDI, PUSAD
4. ASHOK MAHADEV TIDAKE, VILLAGE JAMATHI, AKOLA

The Guardian Minister of Yavatmal district, and nephew of ex-chief minister, late Vasantrao Naik, Shri Manohar Naik has been celebrating his 60th birth day with opulent fanfare in Pusad.
Manohar Naik is from Banjara community of Maharashtra, from which many of the suicides in Vidarbha have been coming.

For its part, the PMO, in its response to Maharashtra government affidavit, on delay in release of Vidarbha Relief Package funds, announced by Shri Man Mohan Singh with much fanfare, has sent a team of officers of IB, to investigate what actual funds have reached the indebted farmers of Vidarbha and the survivors of agrarian suicides in the cotton belt.
Bureaucratic name calling, will be seen in the coming days without any attempts to change Congress farm exit policy.

08/03/2007

Western Vidarbha :

1. JANARDHAN SATHE, VILLAGE MAREGOAN, BULDHANA
2. RAGHUNATH DHONDU BORKAR, NAWARGOANBANDH, GONDIA
3. VITHAL ATTARKAR, VILLAGE SONADA, BULDHANA
4. SHARVAN CHICHOLKAR, VILLAGE KOPOMANDAVI, YAVATMAL
5. VITHOBA THAKARE, SALOD, YAVATMAL
6. SAHEBRAO MAPARI, VILLAGE DHANODA, WASHIM
7. VILAS CHAVAN, VILLAGE CHIROLI, AMARAVTI DISTT
8. MORSHING DANGE, VILLAGE TATAPUR, BULDHANA
9. BANDU RATHODE, VILLAGE TANDOLI, YAVATMAL

Election tours of Congress, NCP, and opposition top political leaders, are in full swing.
They are touring Vidarbha, for canvassing political support from rural voters and are waxing eloquent on agrarian crisis and why they should be voted to power to sort out the mess.
No vultures (giddha) can be seen in the deep blue, dry Vidarbha skies, these days.

05/03/2007

Western Vidarbha :
1. Devidas Rathode, village Bhuli, Washim distt
2. Janrao Pachare, Dongargoan, Akola distt
3. Savitri Dhavane, village Khatkheda, Wardha
4. Damkrishanna Turankar, Naigaon(khz), Yavatmal
5. Dadarao Rathode, vilage Chirodi, Amaravati
6. Mahendra Kompalwar, village Hatgoan, Yavatmal
7. Yogesh Mirage, village Bhastan, Shegaon

As per Congress NCP, Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilas Rao Deshmukh's, political wisdom :
1. Real blame for "wrongful media attention" by " Vested Interests " for raising issue of farmer suicides and distracting attention, from the glorious success of Prime Minister Man Mohan Singh's Vidarbha Relief package for debt ridden cotton farmers, announced during Indian Prime Minister's visit to Vidarbha GM cotton belt, in 2006.
2. That all rural suicides, are being credited to the account of agrarian suicides, whereas according to him, these suicides are not agrarian suicides. So now, the CM has jumped into the fray of issuing post mortem certificates after Shri Sudhir Kumar Goyal, IAS, Relief Commissioner, and other bureaucrats.
According to him, the Congress Party / NCP, should be the arbiter of the reasons for suicides, and people should refuse to be misled by "vested interests".
3. TV channels are wrongfully showing strips of Vidarbha suicides.
4. Has claimed that suicides are generalized social problems and have nothing at all to do with rural and agrarian distress, or any Farm Exit Policy of Indian Congress government.
5. Has asked the media and publicity mongers, to wait for 3-4 more years, before the start of Second Green Revolution, as announced by the Delhi and Mumbai based Congress politicians, and massive state investments in irrigation projects in Vidarbha, begins to show results on the faces of Vidarbha farmers and suicide figures begin to show a declining trend.

02/03/2007

Western Vidarbha :

1. THAKURSINGH GYANSINGH BRAMHANE, ASEGOAN, WASHIM
2. DILIP YADAV NARRADIWAR, BORTANDALI, CHNADRAPUR
3. SURESH PUNAJI WANKHEDE, VILLAGE PARSODA, AKOLA
4. BABAN PACHAKAR, KARLA, AMAMRAVATI
5. MAHADEV VISHUJI PAWAR, WARWAT, BAKAL, BULDHANA

Indian government, Maharashtra state government, senior local bureaucrats are careful NOT to characterize these as AGRARIAN SUICIDES due to debt problems of cotton growing farmers in Vidarbha..
They cite reasons like :
1. Alcoholism
2. Family Problems and berievement
3. Medical expenses
4. Social tensions
5. Mental insanity

17/02/2007

Western Vidarbha :

1. SHYAMRAO CHANDRABHAN KINAKE VILLAGE- UMARI-YAVATMAL
2. VINOD SHAYRAO KINAKE-VILLAGE-UMARI-YAVATMAL
3. NILKANTH VITHOBA GURNULE-VILLAGE -WEDASI IN YAVATMAL
4. ASHOK JAYRAM KOLLAR PALSONI IN YAVATMAL
5. BAB TUKARAM CHIKAT OF SAWALI(WAGH) IN WARDHA
6. VINAYAK MOTIRA, ADE OF SAKHARA IN WARDHA
7. TAPAJI DAMAJI KORADKAR OF VILLAGE SHIRALA IN BULDHANA
8. RAMRAO VITHAL GANGAWANE OF DEPUL IN WASHIM
9. BAPURAO SHIRIKRISHNNA GAIGOLE OF DHANEGOAN IN AMARAVATI

Shyam and Vinod were a adivasi father and son duo.
Huge debt, healthcare costs and agrarian distress are assumed to be behind the tribal father and son suicide pacts.
The Divisional Commissioner in charge of Relief, Shri Sudhir Goyal is reported to be shedding crocodile tears and giving interviews to media - "My heart goes out for those who ended their lives out of acute frustration and for their bereaved families even as I am worried about those caught in the web of a flawed system".
The Finance Minister Shri Chidambaram and Shri Sharad Pawar of Central Congress government, have no time to even meet representatives of suicidal and indebted farmers with no hope.
Congress Government seems more keen on implementing Farm Exit Policy for Vidarbha farmers rather than the announced Prime Minister package.

16/02/2007

Reported : Nine farmers suicides in vidarbha in last 72 hours taking toll to 50 in the month of February 2007. 120 farm suicides in this year 2007.
This is in the backdrop of Congress Prime Minister ManMohan Singh's Relief Package announced in 2006, and its tardy implementation by various government disbursement agencies in Vidarbha cotton growing areas, and interviews of bureaucrats like Shri Goyal, Relief commissioner, that "no government on earth can subsidze 60% of its farmers".
The PMO in New Delhi, is supposedly overseeing implementation of Relief Package but is not able to come to grips with the problem of agrarian suicides and undeclared Farm Exit policy of central Congress government.
The Finance Minister / Sensex Minister of India, Shri Chidambaram, reportedly has no time in New Delhi for even meeting representatives of suicidal farmers.

Time for Suicides - Haryana

S.No. Name of Farmer Age Village Block District Date
1 Amrit Singh 53 Amargarh Narwana Jind 1997
2 Mahavir Singh 45 Amargarh Narwana Jind 1997
3 Baljit Singh 25 Amargarh Narwana Jind 1997
4 Vijira Singh 50 Amargarh Narwana Jind 1997
5 Jagdish 40 Amargarh Narwana Jind 1997
6 Ramesh (Agri. Labour) Amargarh Narwana Jind 1997
7 Shatendra (Agri. Labour) Amargarh Narwana Jind 1997
8 Suresh (Agri. Labour) Amargarh Narwana Jind 1997
9 Gaje Singh (Agri.L.) Amargarh Narwana Jind 1997
10 Ramesh Singh (Agri.L.) Amargarh Narwana Jind 1997
11 Tarsem (Agri.L.) Amargarh Narwana Jind 1997
12 Jani 35 Lohchab Narwana Jind 1997
13 Jagmaal Singh 45 Bellurkhan Narwana Jind 1997
14 Sardar 55 Karamgarh Narwana Jind 1997
15 Subhash 30 Karamgarh Narwana Jind 1997
16 Rajkumar 40 Karamgarh Narwana Jind 1997
17 Randhir 50 Karamgarh Narwana Jind 1997
18 Bijender Shadipura Julana Jind 25sep.,2003
19 Ramniwas 36 Bellurkhan Narwana Jind 1997
20 Srujit (Brother) 40 Bellurkhan Narwana Jind 1997
21 Sukbhir (Brother) 42 Bellurkhan Narwana Jind 1997
22 Amichand 50 Bellurkhan Narwana Jind 1997
23 Mahinder (Brother) 45 Bellurkhan Narwana Jind 1997
24 Jora Singh (Brother) 38 Bellurkhan Narwana Jind 1997
25 Sukhbir (Brother) 35 Bellurkhan Narwana Jind 1997
26 Preetam Singh 50 Badhakhera Uklana Mandi Hissar 1July,2004
27 Balbir 18 Shahpur Hisar Hissar 26june,2004
28 Naresh Agroha Agroha Hissar 17sep.,2004
29 Nanhi(Mother) 65 Hasangarh Uklana Mandi Hissar 19may,2001
30 Shivcharan(son) 35 Hasangarh Uklana Mandi Hissar 19may,2001
31 Geeta(Shivcharan Daug.) 13 Hasangarh Uklana Mandi Hissar 19may,2001
32 Prem 25 Badhakhera Hissar 13april,2004
33 Ajmer Singh 30 Manohar Nagar Hissar 13april,2004
34 Krishan Kumar 25 Saatroad kalan Hissar 2feb.,2003
35 Bimla(Mother) 26 Badya Jattan Hissar 20oct.,2003
36 Kanta(Daughter) 8 Badya Jattan Hissar 20oct.,2003
37 Pala Ram 40 Kuleri Agroha Hissar 18May,2004
38 Baljit Agroha Hissar 13jan.,2004
39 Pataso(mother) 23 Kaimri Hisar Hissar 16sep.,2004
40 Nikhil(son) 1 Hissar 16sep.,2004
41 Kalu 36 Saabarwas Hissar 28may.2004
42 Tulsi(Male) 28 Dharnian Hissar 11june,2004
43 Raju(father) 26 Dhani Hansi Hissar 2003
44 Kiran (Daughter)- Given Poision by mother 4 Dhani Hissar 2003
45 Sunny(son)- Given Poision by mother Hissar 2003
46 Bhateri(mother) 22 Narnaund Hissar 7oct.,2003
47 Beero(Daughter)- Given Poison by Mother 4 Hissar 7oct.,2003
48 Jyoti(daughter)- Given Poison by Mother 8month Hissar 7oct.,2003
49 Nand Singh Jabhala Asandh Karnal 7dec.2000
50 Ishwar Premkhera Nising Karnal 22sep.,2004
51 Sahab Singh 55 Danauli Asandh Karnal 3june,2004
52 Ranvir 56 Bhupani Faridabad Faridabad 18nov.,2001
53 Omwati(mother) 32 chandpur Ballabhgarh Faridabad 19aug.,2004
54 Bobby(son) - Given Poison by Mother 9 chandpur Ballabhgarh Faridabad 19aug.,2004
55 Pinki(daughter) - Given Poison by Mother 3 chandpur Ballabhgarh Faridabad 19aug.,2004
56 Rinki(daughter) - Given Poison by Mother 3 chandpur Ballabhgarh Faridabad 19aug.,2004
57 Karamvir(husband) Kalwaka Palwal Faridabad 7july,2003
58 Ramesh Devi(wife) Kalwaka Palwal Faridabad 7july,2003
59 Sanjiv(son) Kalwaka Palwal Faridabad 7july,2003
60 Janeshwar RanaMajra Panipat Panipat 22dec.,2004
61 SumanDevi(married) 22 Rajakheri Panipat 3sep.,2002
62 Pala Dehra Samalkha Panipat 16nov.,2001
63 Narender 23 Sutana Panipat 24dec.,2004
64 Keval 60 Manana Samalkha Panipat 18sep.,2001
65 DhajjaRam 70 Siwah Panipat 6oct.,2004
66 Balwan Singh 35 Khalilapanhlapur Panipat 3oct.,2004
67 Subhash Ugrakheri Panipat 29dec.,2004
68 Bittu Noorwala Panipat 25sep.,2002
69 vinod 22 Sanaulikhurd Panipat Panipat 27sep.,2004
70 Ram Kumar 48 Nindana Maham Rohtak 7jan.,2005
71 Vimla(mother-5children) Garhisampla Sampla Rohtak 26june,2002
72 Kamlesh(married) Baniani Kalanaur Rohtak 9sep.,2001
73 Sant Kumar 22 Kansala Sampla Rohtak 20nov.,2003
74 Ranbir Basantpur Kalanaur Rohtak 15sep.,2001
75 Maya Devi Maham Rohtak 27oct.,2000
76 Santosh Ismaila Rohtak Rohtak 30jan.,2002
77 Dalbir Singh Muradpurtekna Maham Rohtak 18july.,2004
78 Sanjay 18 Madina Rohtak 2july.,2001
79 Satbir Bisaan Beri Rohtak 2july,2001
80 Bablu 25 Chulana Sampla Rohtak 14sep.,2001
81 Kuldeep 28 Balambha Maham Rohtak 9sep.,2004
82 Chanderkar(female) 62 Ajayba Maham Rohtak 20sep.,2004
83 Suresh 25 Mokhra Maham Rohtak 29june,2004
84 Bimla(Married) Bensi Maham Rohtak 14dec.,2004
85 Rajbala 45 baaland Rohtak Rohtak 13aug.,2003
86 Manju(married) Kasrenti Sampla Rohtak 20jan.,2003
87 Ramphal 30 Mayna Rohtak Rohtak 6nov.,2003
88 Anil Kumar(husband) Jerawat ki dhani Khol Rewari 3july,2003
89 Manju(wife) Jerawat ki dhani Khol Rewari 3july,2003
90 Naresh Kumar(husband) 23 Masit Jatusana Rewari 8oct.,2001
91 Kavita(wife) 21 Masit Jatusana Rewari 8oct.,2001
92 Karan Singh Budhani Rewari 18sep.,2004
93 Babulal 45 Janti Rewari 6april,2004
94 Samay Singh 30 Dharchana Bawal Rewari 17july,2004
95 Laxmi 25 Bhurawas Rasoli Rewari 17july,2004
96 Anoop 25 Mandpur Maandan Rewari 17july,2004
97 Suresh Kumar 45 Kishangarh Rewari 25july,2004
98 Ramanand 40 mamdia Ahir Rewari 25july,2004
99 Brahamparkesh 28 Manethi Rewari 2march,2004
100 Ajit Kumar 25 Mohdipur Rewari 20oct.,2003
101 Hawa Singh 21 Peethdawas Rewari 24april,2003
102 Jeet Singh 17 Autoo Sirsa 20 june.,2004
103 Hari Ram(father) 45 DhaniThakran Sirsa 9jan,2002
104 Raju(son) 18 ,, Sirsa 9jan.,2002
105 Daleep Kharipur Sirsa 28june,2002
106 Barni Ram 40 Nagauki Kharian Sirsa 27feb.,2002
107 Chhotu Ram 45 Fephana Sirsa 2feb.,2002
108 Daya Singh Panjmala Sirsa 26july,2001
109 Jaspal 27 Takhtmal ThanaKalanwali Sirsa 20june,2003
110 Jagminder 40 Rehmana Sonepat 26may,2002
111 Mahinder Singh 30 Chhatera Rai Sonepat 26sep.,2000
112 Sita (mother) Madina Gohana Sonepat 23july,2001
113 Balbir Jauli Sonepat 28july,2004
114 Naresh 40 Deepalpur Rai Sonepat 17jan.,2003
115 Sudama 27 Ridhanu Kharkhauda Sonepat 28jan.,2004
116 Manju(Mother) 30 Rajpura Ganaur Sonepat 10march,2005
117 Sapna(Daughter) - Thrown by Mother Under Train 5 Rajpura Ganaur Sonepat 10march,2005
118 Rahul - Thrown by Mother Under Train 2 Rajpura Ganaur Sonepat 10march,2005
119 Rajbir Kabirpur Rai Sonepat 13sep.,2004
120 Paramjit Singh Kurar Rai Sonepat 24jan.,2002
121 Ranbir Rai Sonepat 8aug.,2004
122 Sarojbala Khewra Rai Sonepat 6july.,2004
123 Mukesh(husband) 28 Sitawali Gohana Sonepat 26aug.,2004
124 Ramrati(wife) 25 Sitawali Gohana Sonepat 26aug.,2004
125 Tekram Mukimpur Gohana Sonepat 6sep.,2004
126 Surajmal Barauda Gohana Sonepat 27july.,2004
127 Sunita(Married) Butana Gohana Sonepat 20june,2001
128 Sateynder 23 Ganaur Sonepat 19june,2002
129 Ishwar Singh 50 Sirsarh Gohana Sonepat 27sep.,2002
130 Shakuntla(married) Murthal Rai Sonepat 6may.,2003
131 Rajesh Rai Sonepat 24april,2003
132 Rampyari Kakroi Sonepat 24april,2003
133 Dinesh Mukimpur Rai Sonepat 29may.,2003
134 LaxmiNarain Nandnaur Sonepat 21july,2003
135 Pardeep Tiharakhurd 9aug.,2003
136 Kuldeep 32 Maghanwas Mahendargarh 2july,2002
137 DayaRam(4children) Dhadhaut Mahendargarh 3oct.,2001
138 Bhudev Ratakalan Mahendargarh 5dec.,2000
139 Vidya Devi 35 Jailaph Narnaul Mahendargarh 8april.,2004
140 Umrao Singh 35 Patikara Narnaul Mahendargarh 25june,2004
141 Suman (Mother) 26 NangalSirohi Mahendargarh 10june,2002
142 Babli(Daughter) 30 Mahendargarh 10june,2002
143 Ashok Kumar 31 Buchawas Mahendargarh 9dec.,2004
144 Pawan Kumar 27 MaldaSarai Mahendargarh 7nov.,2004
145 Girwar 33 Nimbi Mahendargarh 12april,2004
146 Sher Singh DaungraAhir Mahendargarh 15feb.,2003
147 Naresh 29 Shobhapur Narnaul Mahendargarh 20may,2004
148 Ramesh 32 Begpur MandiAteli Mahendargarh 31july,2004
149 Munesh Devi(mother) 25 Baajad Mahendargarh 11oct.,2001
150 Deepak(son) - Drowened with mother 2 Mahendargarh 11oct.,2001
151 Pappu(son) - Drowened with mother 1 Mahendargarh 11oct.,2001
152 Preetam 30 DhaniMammraj Mahendargarh 11dec.,2001
153 Jaivir LowaKhurd Bahadurgarh Jhajhar 2feb.,2003
154 Mahinder 35 Kharhar Bahadurgarh Jhajhar 22dec.,2004
155 Ranbir(husband) 30 Chhuchhakwas Jhajhar Jhajhar 15sep.,2003
156 Urmila(wife) Chhuchhakwas Jhajhar Jhajhar 15sep.,2003
157 Bhola 24 Kanaunda Bahadurgarh Jhajhar 19april,2001
158 Naanha 35 Chhara Bahadurgarh Jhajhar 29jan.,2001
159 Guddi(Asha) 34 Bhaprauda Bahadurgarh Jhajhar 29jan.,2001
160 Phulwati Dhani Samian Sahalawas Jhajhar 31dec.,2001
161 Suresh Parnala Sahalawas Jhajhar 19march,2004
162 Ramesh 30 Milakhpur JhaJhar Jhajhar 21aug.,2003
163 Vinay Baamrauli Bahadurgarh Jhajhar 9dec.,2003
164 JaiBhagwan Badhsa Jhajhar Jhajhar 19feb.,2003
165 Rulia Ram Brahana Beri Jhajhar 1999
166 Trilok Singh(3children) Neelothi Bahdurgarh Beri Jhajhar may,2001
167 Purn Singh 50 Shadipur GuhlaChika Kaithal 11oct.,2004
168 Khajani(mother) 65 Karoda Kaithal 23aug.,2001
169 Raja (son) 22 Karoda Kaithal 23aug.,2001
170 Santosh(wife of Raja) 18 Karoda Kaithal 23aug.,2001
171 BhateriDevi(Agri.L) 28 Khurana road Kaithal Kaithal 28june,2003
172 Anu (Daughter) - Given Poison by mother 12 Khurana road Kaithal Kaithal 28june,2003
173 Kuldeep(son) - Given Poison by mother 10 Khurana road Kaithal Kaithal 28june,2003
174 Ashish(son) - Given Poison by mother 7 Khurana road Kaithal Kaithal 28june,2003
175 BaaluramBishnoi 60 DhbiKhurd Bhttukalan Fatehabad 23feb.,2001
176 RoshniDevi(mother) Mehuwala Bhttukalan Fatehabad 27oct.,2003
177 Pankaj Kumar(daughter) 10 Mehuwala Bhttukalan Fatehabad 27oct.,2003
178 Shalu 8 Mehuwala Bhttukalan Fatehabad 27oct.,2003
179 Dholu (son) 5 Mehuwala Bhttukalan Fatehabad 27oct.,2003
180 SitoDevi(mother) Amani Tohana Fatehabad 14april,2001
181 Subhash(husband) 38 Khabdakalan Battukalan Fatehabad 16oct.,2001
182 Rekha(wife) 30 Khabdakalan Battukalan Fatehabad 16oct.,2001
183 Mahinder Singh 35 Dhaulu Fatehabad 10july,2004
184 LaadhuRam 70 Badolanwali Fatehabad 16may,2004
185 Hawa Singh 30 Charkhi Charkhidadri Bhiwani 3oct.,2001
186 Jaiparkash Gurera Siwanimandi Bhiwani 17dec.,2001
187 Kiran(mother) 30 Umrawat Bhiwani 31aug.,2002
188 Sonu(son) 2 Umrawat Bhiwani 31aug.,2002
189 Ranvir Singh(Husband) Mandhi Hariya Badhda Bhiwani 25june,2004
190 Chanderpati(wife) Mandhi Hariya Badhda Bhiwani 25june,2004
191 Shish Ram 35 Saidpur Bhiwani 24nov.,2004
192 Phulkumar 40 Bigowa Charkhidadri Bhiwani 2004

Shri Chidambaram Steps Forward - Meeting with Shri Tiwari on 08 Feb 2007

VJAS leaders are meeting Indian Finance Minister on 8th feb, 2007 along with farmers to push their long pending demands" - Kishor Tiwari, Vidarbha Jan Aandolan Samiti