Govt Siting Idle on Jadhav Panel Report-Hitavada Reports

Govt Siting Idle on Jadhav Panel Report

Staff Reporter:

LAUNCHING a scathing attack on the State Government for siting idle in report of committee under Pune University Vice-Chancellor Dr. Narendra Jadhav, which was submitted to State Cabinet on August 6, 2008, farmers leaders have demanded immediate implementation of recommendations made by committee.

The one man committee report had stated that it is the relatively better off western Maharashtra region and not the crisis plagued Vidarbha region of the State that has benefited most from Government loan waivers Farmers in western Maharashtra got 53.8 per cent of the loan waiver’ those in Vidarbha just the report also outlined an action plan and various recommendations to be implemented for the betterment of the farming community in vidarbha.

“Even after a period of over 11 months of the committee submitting its

report, the State Government has not made any implementation. This has spread a wide-spread discontent amongst the farmers of Vidarbha. It also reveals the

earnestness of Government toward upliftment of farmers in Vidarbha,” statedVJS’ Santosh Naitam.

Naitam has also denounced Government’s decision to appoint Dr. Jadhav as Member of Planning Commission of India. “Is it an effort on the part of Government to relocate him. Government should jave shown same eagerness to implement his report in Vidarbha,” Naitam said.

To press for demand, the organization has also sent a memorandum to Chief Minister Ashok Chavhan recently. The letter also demanded hike in MSP of farm produce in Vidarbha like Soyabean, millet, Tur, Jowar etc. “Production of crops like cotto and soybean was too low in the region last year. Private traders offered too low returns for the produce and in the absence of any help from the Government, the farmers were left with no option but to sell the produce to such private players even at substantial low rates. When the yielding season reached its peak last year, the Government stopped purchase of may

crops depriving the farmers of benefits of MSPs. This should not happen at least this season, “Naitam said.

In the letter, VJS has said that it has been monitoring that it has been monitoring Vidarbha farmer’s suicide and agrarian crisis since 1999. “If we look at net result of relief packages worth crores of rupees it is clear that all of them have failed to stop on going farm suicides on Vidarbha. More over it failed to provide any help or healing touch to millions of distressed farmers in Vidarbha”. Govt has formed high-power Committee headed by Dr. Jadhav to examine shortcomings in Farmer’s Packages under implementation and to suggest remedial measures to stop farmer suicides. Committee had admitted that the packages have totally failed to provide any immediate help to those farmer’s families in the category of ‘farmers Families in Extreme Distress’ (total families4,34,291) and ‘Farmers Families with Extreme Illness’ (total families 92,456),

though the complete data of which is available in the Report of Survey conducted by Government o Maharashtra in June, 2006. It is required that Govt must act, otherwise it will be too late to revive collapsed social structure in crises ridden rural Vidarbha.

Dr. Jadhav Committee report findings

Dr. NARENDRA Jadhav Committee was set up to examine implementation of relief packages to distressed farmers and report on the overall agricultural scenario in the State. It submitted its report in August 2008 stating that it was relatively better off western Maharashtra region and not the crisis plagued Vidarbha region of the State that has benefited most from government loan waivers. Committee has also been critical on the manner in which loan waivers have been disbursed and quality of government aid packages. Its finding are as follows;

. Farmers in western Maharastra got 53.8 per cent of the loan waiver; those in Vidarbha just 20.01 per cent.

. Farming has become unprofitable in Vidarbha due to lack of irrigation inadequate credit for farmers, lack of non-agriculture related activities to supplement farm incomes, and harassment by money lenders.

. Sufficient awareness was not created among farmers regarding the aid packages.

. 40 per cent of important posts in the Agriculture Department remain

vacant.

. No independent entity to implement aid packages result in lack of

coordination among departments.

. Several irregularities, such as middlemen accepting commissions, in relief disbursement.

. Poor implementation of aid, such as mulch animals being given to farmers without ascertaining whether they have the means to maintain the animals and without providing veterinary support.

. Sub-standard agricultural implements bought, and at higher than market rates.