300 farmer suicides in Marathwada since January

May 12, 2015

Aurangabad, May 12: With the worsening drought situation in the region, farmer suicides continue unabated this year. About 300 farmers have taken their lives since January this year.

farmer suicidesThe highest number (83) of farmer suicides has been reported from Beed district, followed by Nanded with 55 deaths and Osmanabad with 50 cases. Last year, a total of 569 farmers in the region had taken their lives.

Osmanabad is one of the two districts selected by the state government to study the cause of farmer suicides and suggest measures to curb the phenomenon. A team of top IAS officials has been specially deputed in Osmanabad and Yavatmal to study farmer suicides and suggest steps to be taken.

Beed district collector Naval Kishor Ram said, "In 2001, cultivation of the cash crop of cotton brought many changes in rural economy. It has very high input costs. If there is a good harvest, the farmers earn good returns. However, if the crop fails, the farmers suffer huge losses and at times it becomes unbearable for them.

He added that though only 23% soil is conducive for cotton cultivation, majority of the farmers are still opting for it.

State revenue minister Eknath Khadse on Monday said he had sought an explanation from chief secretary regarding the alleged under-reporting of farmer suicide cases in the state to the Centre. "I have asked the chief secretary to find out how incorrect information was sent to the Centre. Instructions have been issued that such incidents should not recur," he said.

Khadse was in eye of storm after Union agricultural minister Radha Mohan Singh's revelation in Parliament that only three farmers in Maharashtra had ended their lives due to recent hailstorm and unseasonal rain. He said the data submitted to the Centre was based on suicide notes.

He appealed to farmers to take inspiration from tribals in Nandurbar and Melghat areas. "Farmers should keep their morale high. They should look at tribal population in Nandurbar and Melghat regions, who lead life despite being surrounded by all adversities," he said.

Khadse took stock of the situation in Marathwada ahead of this year's kharif season. He said the state government was committed to reconstituting farm loans at low interest rate of six per cent. "Discussions are on with Nabard and RBI to accept our proposal. If these banks show reluctance to our proposal, the government will pitch in with necessary financial aid," he said.

The minister said licences of traders hoarding seeds and fertilizers would be suspended immediately and criminal proceedings would be initiated against them. Among other decisions, needy farmers can opt for different machinery needed for ploughing and sowing at nominal rates from central facilities at taluka and regional level.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
January 30,2020

Mumbai, Jan 30: Speaking at an event, Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Abu Azmi's son and businessman, Farhan Azmi said that if CM Uddhav Thackeray will build lord Ram's Temple at Ayodhya then he will build Babri Masjid there. He said, "My problem is with Uddhav Thackeray.

I respect him a lot and if in Shiv Sena somebody really deserves respect, then it is no other than Uddhav Thackeray. He never runs a government and I don't think he is running his party correctly.

If being the Chief Minister, Uddhav Thackeray says he is going to Ayodhya on 7th March, I will also go with him. He will build lord Ram's Temple and we will build Babri Masjid."

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
March 4,2020

Bhopal, Mar 4: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister  Kamal Nath on Tuesday asserted that there was no threat to his government.

Nath's comments came when he was asked about reports of alleged 'poaching' attempts being made by the opposition BJP in the state.

“The legislators are telling me that they are being offered so much money. I am telling the MLAs to take it, if they are getting this free money,” Nath told reporters here on the sidelines of a programme.

Congress veteran Digvijaya Singh on Monday alleged that his party MLAs were being offered “huge money by BJP leaders” as part of the saffron party's “poaching” attempt to destablise the Kamal Nath government.

When Nath was asked about any threat to the stability of his government in Madhya Pradesh, he said, “There is nothing to worry about.”

Reacting to Nath's statement, state BJP spokesman Rajneesh Agrawal told PTI that his party has nothing to do with the allegations.

“In fact, these speculations and allegations are part of the internal bickering of among Congress leaders to get nominated for the Rajya Sabha polls,” he said.

After Digvijaya Singh's remarks on Monday, senior BJP leader and former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan accused the Congress veteran of making false statements to create sensationalism.

“Speaking lies to create sensationalism is Digvijaya's habit. Probably some of his (Digivijaya's) works were not done and he wants to create pressure on the CM to get them done,” Chouhan alleged.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
January 18,2020

New Delhi, Jan 18: Asha Devi, the mother of the 2012 Delhi gang-rape victim, on Saturday slammed senior lawyer Indira Jaising for her suggestion that she should forgive her daughter's rapists.

"Who is Indira Jaising to give me such a suggestion? The whole country wants the convicts to be executed. Just because of people like her, justice is not done with rape victims," Asha Devi said here.

"Cannot believe how Indira Jaising even dared to suggest this. I met her many times over the years in Supreme Court, not even once has she asked for my well being and today she is speaking for the convicts. Such people earn their livelihoods by supporting rapists, hence rape incidents do not stop," she added.

Asha Devi further accused Jaising of using "the garb of human rights" to make a living.

'People like her keep earning money under the garb of human rights. I do not need her suggestions... Just because of people who think like her incidents like rape keep happening, she is a disgrace to women," she said.

Earlier yesterday, Indira Jaising, through a tweet, had urged Asha Devi to forgive the perpetrators and had used the example of Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi, who had forgiven Nalini, one of the convicts who was given the death penalty by the courts.

"While I fully identify with the pain of Asha Devi I urge her to follow the example of Sonia Gandhi who forgave Nalini and said she did not want the death penalty for her. We are with you but against the death penalty," Jaising's tweet read.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.