Maharashtra Agitation - Vidarbha Crisis

VIDARBHA JAN ANDOLAN SAMITI

REGD. OFFICE: 11, TRISARAN SOCIETY, KHAMALA, NAGPUR - 440 025.
PH. 2282447/457 MOBILE-9422108846. vidarbha@gmail.com

REF: - FARMER'S credit CRY URGENT-PRESS NOTE DATED-17th June, 2007



Ø As Banks Call Off Credit Honeymoon For Farmers In Vidarbha Region More Debt Trapped Farmers Commits Suicides-Thousands Of Farmers To start "HALLABOL AGITATION" FOR FRESH CROP LOAN From 18th June.

Ø Farmers' Demands Loan Waiver And Five Year Credit Plan For Farming Finance.

Ø Banks Committee Resolves To Cut Lending Finance To Vidarbha Farmers - Private Monylenders To Suck Blood Of Reeling Farmers: It's Apathy Of Mr.Chidambaram, Fm-Goi To Allow Banks To Push Farmers To Commit Sucides! - KISHORE TIWARI.


NAGPUR-17th June 2007


When Indian finance minister submitted his annual budget for year 2007-08, it was warmly welcomed as "agriculture budget" but in result as per order of NABARD bankers association has taken decision to suddenly drop down the credit outlay for vidarbha cotton farmers .as reported the credit bonanza for farmers in Vidarbha seems to be over. After aggressive lending in the previous fiscal, the credit allocation targets set under the annual credit plan for 2007-08 for six districts of Vidarbha show a steep decline. Incidentally, these are the districts that have been reporting maximum farm suicides and where farmers' dependence on illegal money-lenders has been one of the root causes.

Credit lending targets for six districts have been revised downwards compared to last year, as per recent decision of bankers association. In 2005-06 fiscal, banks disbursed credit of Rs 765 crore in six districts. But thanks to the PM's package, the crop credit shot up to Rs 2,033 crore in the last fiscal. The current plan, however, allocates only Rs 1,683 crore for crop credit For instance, Yavatmal district, which has reported maximum suicides, has been earmarked a target of only Rs 434.96 crore which is almost a 30% decline from its 2006-07 target. Washim district shows a decline of 41%, Akola 36%, and Buldhana 38%, against the previous fiscal's targets. District credit plans have been finalised on the basis of broad guidelines prepared by NABARD.

THOUSANDS OF FARMERS TO "HALLABOL AGITATION" FOR FRESH CROP LOAN FROM 18TH JUNE.


The reported decision of NABARD that "The decline in credit allocation targets is surprising in the context of Centre's directives to banks to double flow of credit to the agriculture sector in three years starting 2004-05," VJAS leader kishor tiwari informed .vidarbha farmers wills strongly protest and we will not only restore credit outlay to rs.3, 300 crore but will have loan waiver too, kishor tiwari added.

Thousands farmers of west vidarbha will start "HALLABOL AGITATION" all NABARD controlled banks demanding fresh crop loan to every defaulter farmers will over due loan waiver ,kishor tiwari said.


It is complete injustice with west dying cotton farmers as most of the growth in priority sector lending has gone to districts in Western Maharashtra and Marathwada, largely due to SHARAD PAWAR NCP base regions as compared to Vidarbha. For instance, Pune gets a 91% rise in its credit allocation target. NABARD is acting against the agriculture sector plan for six districts of Vidarbha was prepared based on the last three years' trend though an upward revision of Rs 1,275 crore was made specially under the PM's relief package during 2006-07."The PM's package, among other factors, rightly appreciated lack of an extensive network of formal credit in Vidarbha as one of the root causes of suicides. Cutting down on credit allocations for this reason amounts to punishing Vidarbha for being chosen for the PM's package, now cotton farmers are left at mercy of private money Leander inviting more farm suicides.

Now time has come for separating vidarbha state from maharashtra due complete contrast in fiscal condition and increasing backlog of region and we will press this demand in future too if we are being neglected and forced to kill ourselves ,kishor tiwari added.

Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti

Email : vidarbha@gmail.com

Contact - 094221 08846

CandleLight Vigils - Mohan Dharia

The sheer logic of Indian democracy becomes evident, when the politician is forced to go back to the electorate at least every five years. The electorate also knows very well, that next time, they will see the politicians emerge, from the corridors of the various Sabhas - Lok, Vidhan, Rajya, etc, will be about four and half years later, unless of course there is a court decision or some such toppling of the cart.
There is no doubt that after the whirlwind tours of Shri Man Mohan Singh, and Maharashtra Chief Minister to the Indian killing fields - farming lands - the politicians lower down in the pecking order, would all feel they have been pardoned from making a beeline for the rural countryside and spoiling their white linen kurtas and designer goggles.
The Indian Finance Minister, of course thinks that, when there exists an Agriculture Ministry, and a Planning Commission, for super annuated politicians and retired farm leaders like Sharad Joshi, Ajit Singh and Tikait, there is no need for him to even open his mouth, on Indian countryside and farm issues. His remit is basically stock markets, and the tax system, pulling the strings of the IRS bureaucracy.
The countryside, ah, the votes are still there. Of course, the politicians might do so a bit sooner, if Sonia Ji decides to jolt them, bolt them, or scold them.
Some people are surely now playing a wait and watch game. Where this issue of Indian farmer suicides will now go, and how much of an impact it will have on election prospects for Congress in the next elections ? These calcualtions will soon begin in earnest.
As always, with the loyalties and royalties, well known inside Congress, people are wondering when Mrs Sonia Gandhi, will take on the image and role of Mrs Indira Gandhi vis a vis the Indian farmers and the Second Green Revolution. Mrs Indira Gandhi created an entire infrastructure of institutions to solidly underpin the first Green Revolution.
This Mrs Gandhi is only talking of Second Green Revolution, lulled by the Leopold and Oxbridge awards.
It is only when she decides to take note of the farmer suicides, that the scramble for farmer votes will be activated by push button, within Indian Congress party. Till then, it is wait and watch, apart from cursory suicide figures, being read out from a note prepared by an IAS bureaucrat, by Shri Sharad Pawar in Lok Sabha. Till then, business as usual for Mr Chidambaram, RBI Governor and Congress politicians.