Saturday, December 31, 2011

Happy-Happy DOZEN 20!

Wish one and all a...

Wonderful-Wonderful DOZEN 20!

May Joys in every life be of plenty

Happy-Happy DOZEN 20!

Thursday, December 15, 2011

FARMERS NEED HIGHER M. S. P TO SURVIVE, NOT RELIEF PACKAGE

Last year in December CM Prithiviraj Chavan announced Crop Damage AID of 1,088 crores (billions) for Vidarbha Farmers, as crops were damaged due to unseasonal rain in October 2010...

No one really knows what happened to the AID money? Farmers in Vidarbha are clueless if some State Government Officials has ever entered their villages to disburse the AID...

Yes, the 1,088 billions surely has earned 60 % interest (because even after a year, it has not been disbursed to the affected farmers of Vidarbha) on the principal amount to make the CM and Congress coffers overflowing with more black money...

This year, once again 2,000 crores Relief Package have been announced yesterday (14th December 2011) by CM Chavan for farmers of Vidarbha, Marathawada and Northern Maharastra... for Cotton, Soyabean and Paddy crops...

An approximate 58 Lakh (million) farmers is likely to get the relief package but there is a condition, MIND YOU!

If a farmer has damage 25 % of its crops, only then the relief will be given... not otherwise!

I wonder, how many days more it will take the State Government Officials to disburse this amount, if at all it will be released in the first place by the CM, to 58 Lakh farmers?

So what will happen to marginal farmers who own just 1 to 2 acre of land growing cotton? Will the meagre amount of Rs. 1,000/- per acre help them in any which ways? Will they even get the AID?

Mr. CM, the farmers of the nation doesn't need RELIEF PACKAGE or AID, they rightfully need HIGHER MSP for respective crops to keep farming for the nation and somehow feed their hungry families...

If Pharmaceutical Companies can demand a higher price of cotton to the tune of Rs. 50,000/- Per Quintal for their product, why are the poor farmers of nation capped and exploited at being paid a controlled MSP (set by the Government), who actually should get all the benefits for all the hard work in their fields... for the benefits of the nation's economy? 

Last year, because of floods in China, Bangladesh and Pakistan... the rates of cotton went upto Rs. 7680/- Per Quintal from Rs. 4,000/- onwards... so this year, the price should get higher than what the farmers got last year... imagine, the government was paying just Rs. 3,000/- Per Quintal as the MSP in 2010... after all prices of everything has been increasing on a yearly basis... if companies can increase the petroleum based products almost every month, then why farmers cannot demand a suitable rate for their product? Here the Government Policies FAIL miserably!!!

Farmers of the nation should get their rightful due and a Higher MSP, so that they will not succumb to suicide instead will continue farming for the nation to benefit at large.

Without supporting the farmers' community with FARMERS BENEFIT POLICIES, how can the government insist that farmers should use new technology to grow more....

When the farmers grow more, the government along with the traders' lobby and WTO drop the price and not forgetting the billions of worth food grains are allowed to rot in the open FCI godowns... all the selfless hard work put in by the farmers' community of the nation goes in vain...

In spite of almost negligible Irrigation Infrastructure in the nation, High Price of Seeds, Fertilizers, Pesticides and Labour Wages, Nature's Fury... the Indian Farmers have kept their dedication towards the nation to feed the nation even when they have had to sell their wives to feed their children or else take their own lives... the Nation's Government have been exploiting them to the hilt and pushing them towards the edge to end their lives, so that their fertile lands can be grabbed in the name of economic development...

Sad to say, the opposition is just not bothered as well... they are raising the issue but will ultimately give in, once they get their share from the CM, to keep their protest silent! The media will highlight some other scams or disaster to forget the real issues (please read the series - WHAT THE FARMERS NEED? in the blog) of the poor farmers of the nation....

Statistics will be quoted by vested interest to be in limelight as farmers will succumb to take their own lives... their families will continue endless suffering living in miseries and poverty all their lives... DO WE REALLY CARE FOR OUR FARMERS' COMMUNITY IN THE REAL SENSE?

HIGHER MSP should be the only DEMAND by all the opposition political leaders for the farmers of the nation to benefit and survive... but will it ever HAPPEN?

HOW THE GOVT IS CHEATING AND LOOTING THE COTTON GROWING FARMERS OF THE NATION

Did you know that a packet of 400 grams of Medicated Cotton costs Rs. 200/-?
That means 1 Kg of Medicated Cotton will cost Rs. 500/-
So if one calculates the Medicated Cotton at this rate @ Rs. 500/- per kg, a quintal of cotton will cost Rs. 50,000/-
Now, imagine the Nation's Government fixes the MSP (Minimum Support Price) of Cotton @ Rs. 3,300/- per Quintal.... for the poor farmers.
From raw cotton to finished and Medically treated cotton, the price by Pharma Companies is totally unbelievable... I was honestly shocked to calculate the per quintal rate!
Tell me citizen of the world, where is Rs. 3,300/- Per Quintal and where is Rs. 50,000/- Per Quintal??? So right from the policy makers to ministry of agriculture to Nation's government to traders' lobby to middlemen to big traders to the finished product sold by various companies... each one of them are making money in thousands while the poor farmers, who has to first buy seeds at a higher price because the market creates artificial shortage during sowing season to buying short supplied high priced fertilizers and pesticides to physical labour of the whole family to paying exhorbitant wages to labour for weeding and plucking to finally take the yield to the government procurement centre... all that the poor farmers are paid is just Rs. 3,300/- per quintal....
Mind you, apart from all the hardships mentioned above, the farmers have to face the nature's fury year after year... one year, it may rains cats and dogs, and the next, there may not be any sign of any rain... not to mention the unseasonal rain, which often damages the cash crop... The meagre amount of just Rs. 3,300/- per quintal for the poor farmers' community as the MSP, which puts its heart and soul to grow cotton for the nation's economy to benefit is being LOOTED by the Government in the most bizarre fashion without anybody's knowledge...
Yes, before the packet landed in my hand, even I had never had thought about such a huge difference is there between Raw Cotton and Medicated Cotton... there is certainly the HUGE DIFFERENCE of Rs. 46, 700/- per Quintal... but I was always researching to get the price of cotton at the international market and the price of cotton being exported from India to other countries.
Is this JUSTICE the Government of my NATION??? PLEASE-PLEASE this is certainly not a fair treatment... the farmers' community badly needs a suitable MSP for their selfless hard labour... now looking at the above mentioned rate, I feel even Rs. 15,000/- Per Quintal is really less for the laborious farmers. Time the government and all the political leaders to wake up from their misconception that what is being paid (MSP) by the Government of India is certainly a case of cheating and looting the Cotton Growing Farmers to push them towards the edge to succumb to suicide!

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

FARMERS are the ORPHANS the NATION always IGNORE!!! - Johnny D

The greatest son of the soil Late Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri is and will always be the only Prime Minister of the Independent India, which duly gave the rightful place to Bhartiya Kisaan (Indian Farmers) and Fauji (Army) with his effective slogan - "Jai Jawan, Jai Kisaan"!

Yes! For every nation in the world to flourish in the real sense, the Defence and the Agriculture Sectors are the two most essentials... while the first protects the nation from all the invasion (external & internal), the second feeds the nation! Unfortunately, before and post Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri's rule, none of the Prime Ministers of India have really bothered about these two sectors in the real sense... while Defence Expenditure have been increased because of neighbouring countries aggression since 1947, sadly, the Agriculture Sector Expenditure has seen drastic drop as decades have vanished in oblivion...

Farmers are the orphans the nation always ignores but farmers' community also happens to be the LARGE CHUNK of MEAT for everyone to exploit and suck the last drop of blood from their bodies - from greedy corrupt politicians to corporate companies (fertilizers, pesticides, seeds, farm machinaries etc) to moneylenders, micro-finance and banks (giving loans to buy all the lavish items like motorcycles, tractors, Dish TV etc) to the media (to encash and highlight farmers' suicide without really writing about the ground realities) ... well, till the last drop is sucked from their poverty and selfless act to feed the nation... everyone seems to be busy with various plans of action!

Irrigation Infrastructure takes decades to remain INCOMPLETE, faulty government policies make sure that MSP of various crops are kept so low that farmers will never be able to come out of the debt cycle, the market lobby along with the government make sure that during sowing season the rates of the seeds, fertilizers and pesticides are raised by creating the artificial shortage, and in the name of Economic Growth their fertile lands are grabbed by everyone, water which should actually go for irrigating farms are diverted to private thermal power projects and heavy industries by government... and if this is not, even the nature doesn't leave the farmers with its swinging moods - either there is heavy rainfall or else drought...

So what does an orphan do in such a situation? Succumb to suicide?

The selfless act of the farmers' community to grow food grains and cash crops for the nation in extreme conditions - be it heavy rains, hot sun, high and low temperatures... they forget about their family's hunger to work for the nation... BUT... what does the Nation gives in return to these selfless hard working community? 

No water to irrigate their farms;
No electricity supply when there is the real need to operate their pumps to irrigate their farms;
Suicide;
Debt Trap;
No proper godowns to store the food grains (as billions worth food grains are allowed to rot by ministry);
Improper MSP for crops by government;
They have to sell their wives (in Bundelkhand in 2009) to feed their children;
No Pension for their efforts till the ripe old age of 75 plus;
Their fertile lands are grabbed in the name of economic growth;
No proper Medical Aid;
No proper education for their children;
No alternative of employment during off season of farming;
Anti-export policies;
No proper subsidy;

Well, life of a farmer is certainly not a rosy one in our nation, a nation that is supposed to be dominated by the Agriculture as near about 70 per cent of the population live in the rural India... just like an orphan who is often thrashed by anyone and everyone in the society, the farmers' community have really no one that will stand for them to benefit in the real sense... everyone exploits them to benefit out of them!

It is certainly high time the NATION should take due notice if it wish to secure the future of today's generation... because the future ahead is heading for a big catastrophe with:
No Sufficient water;
No Sufficient fertile land;
No Farmers to grow food ( as farmers are quitting farming for better pastures);
No Sufficient Natural Resources will be left;

Farmers are the orphans that needs love, care and every help possible that should make this wonderful laborious community to keep growing food for the nation... by supporting them and their families... and not exploiting them for the greed!

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

रोटी का पेड़

(English translation is given below the Original)

"माँ!
जैसे होता है आम का पेड़,
क्यों नहीं होता है वैसे 'रोटी' का पेड़?"

"मैं क्या ज़ानू बेटा,
बनाया क्यों नहीं भगवान ने ऐसा कोई पेड़!"

"होता!
तो कितना भला होता ना
हम गरीबों का माँ?
जब कभी लगती भूख मुझे,
फट से एक तोड़ कर खा लेता
और पेट भर जाता अपना! (मुस्कुराते हुए )
तुमको और हर माँ को
होता फिर कितना आराम ना माँ?"

"हाँ मेरा प्यारा भोलू,
अच्छा ही होता
गर रोटी का पेड़ होता तो!"

"चूल्हे के धुऐं से कैसी हो गयी है
तुम्हारी सूरत माँ!
कितना कष्ट होता है तुम्हें
माँ रोटी बनाने में!

बोलो ना माँ, बोलो ना माँ,
क्यों नहीं भगवान ने बनाया
रोटी का पेड़?"

"भगवान को शायद पता था,
कि किस तरह अमीर
छिनकर सब कुछ हमारा, शोषण करते हैं!
शायद इसी कारण से, नहीं बनाया
भगवान ने रोटी का पेड़!"

"पर माँ,
हम गरीब तो उनसे कुछ लेते ही नहीं!
बल्कि,
कुछ ना कुछ तो देते ही रहते हैं उन्हें!
फिर भला अमीर क्यों 
छिन लेता हमारा रोटी का पेड़?

रोटी का पेड़ होता तो...
कोई गरीब भूखा नहीं सोता कभी,
कोई भूखा नहीं मरता दुनिया में,
कोई माँ तुम जैसी काली नहीं होती,

हर कोई सुखी रहता!

माँ, तुम भगवान से कहो ना
वो जल्दी से हमें एक रोटी का पेड़ दें!

नहीं माँ, नहीं!" (ज़ोर से चिल्ला कर )

"क्या हुआ भोलू?
क्या हुआ बेटा?" (हैरान हो कर)

"कुछ नहीं माँ!
भगवान से कहना
कि वो हमें ही नहीं
बल्कि,
हर गरीब को एक रोटी का पेड़ दें,
ताकि,
कोई भी गरीब
भूखा नहीं रहे दुनिया में!

तुम बोलोगी ना माँ,
बोलोगी ना माँ भगवान से?"

(आसूँओं से भीगे नयनों ने अपने पाँच वर्षीय भोलू की नादानी से
माँ का दिल पसीज कर रख दिया! भोलू तो रोटी खा कर सो जाता है, पर माँ?)  


--- स्वरचित ---


CHAPPATI TREE

“Mother
Like there is Mango tree
Why there is no Chappati (Indian bread / Roti) Tree?”

“What do I know son,
Why God didn’t make such a tree!”

“If there were
how wonderful it would have been Mother
for the poor like us?
Whenever I would be hungry,
I would just pluck one to eat
And my stomach would be filled! (Smiling)
You and all mothers
Would be in so comfort no Mother?”

“Oh yes, my lovely Bholu,
It would be so nice
If there were Chappati Trees!”

“With the smoke of the firewood
How your face have become Mother!
To make chappatis
You have to work so hard Mother!

Tell me Mother, tell me
Why God didn’t make Chappati Trees?”

“Guess God knew very well
How the Rich
Have snatched everything we own to exploit us!
Maybe for these reasons
God didn’t make Chappati Tree!”

“But Mother,
We Poor don’t take anything from the Rich
Instead,
We always give something or the other!
So why
Would the Rich snatch away our Chappati Tree?

If there were Chappatis Tree...
Not even a single poor would sleep hungry,
Not even a single human would die of hunger,
No Mother would be dark complexioned like you,
Everyone would be content!

Mother please tell God
To give us one Chappati Tree!

No Mother, NO!” (Shouting aloud)

“What happened Bholu?
What happened my son?” (Anxiously)

“Nothing Mother!
Tell God
That He should not only give us one
But also one tree to every Poor
So,
Not even a single Poor
Would remain hungry in the world!

You will tell na Mother,
You will na Mother to God?”

(With teary eyes Mother’s heart is broken with her five-year Bholu’s innocence!
Bholu goes off to sleep after eating but Mother?)

--- Johnny D ---

Sunday, December 4, 2011

SHRADDHA AUR SABURI – DEVOTION AND PATIENCE


These are two of the most invaluable words that was often used by Sai Baba of Shirdi... we humans often tend to have lovely ‘devotion’ towards God but ‘patience’ is something we often tend to lose in the most trying times. I have often wondered each time I visit Shirdi... to see hundreds of devotee losing their ‘patience’ the moment they enter the temple premise, pushing and shoving while in line for a darshan... strange are also the ways of God for making us like this... even I lost my ‘patience’ when things didn’t happened after repeated attempts... yes, it is a frustrated feelings that overcome our level of ‘patience’.

But if you trust in God, whoever you worship, and are devoted... it is ‘patience’ that will see you through the most trying times... needless to say, it is frustrating at times, but no matter what, one should not lose faith in God... HE will make you reach where you belong at the perfect time decided by HIM and only HIM... as often we have heard the lines that we are mere ‘puppets’ at HIS will... The journey of destiny has seen me going through ups and downs, blissful moments and depressions, happiness and sadness... ever since this phase of mine started on the 12th of March 2010 as destined... so long, things have been trying at times and at times I did wonder as to what I was doing here in Vidarbha... thoughts!!!

It was last June that I started my efforts to register the Trust along with two beautiful friends – Swapnil Barai and Tejal Rajyagor... it took me six months just to keep collecting various documents needed... and on the 20th of December 2010, I finally submitted the form... each time a ‘date’ was given, I used to hope things to move... but...dates after date... things were just not moving... it took exactly a little less than a year to finally get the Trust registered... on the 1st of December 2011, finally I was given the Trust Registration Certificate by the Assistant Charity Commissioner Mr. PP Sharma... He wished me all the best in life and was very kind to enquire about the movement... here, I wish to thank Mr. Gunvant Kalamb from the office for being a kind help and also the previous official Mr. Thool and all the staff of the office from the bottom of my heart. I am truly grateful to everyone who has helped me with their kind support and invaluable help all through this lone journey... Blessings of Sai Baba and my (Late) Mamman Mrs. Pratibha Jaiswal – she adopted me as her son and gave me all the love to this orphan – have been my strength all through to believe in what I am here to do is the will of Sai Baba.

Sandipta Dhar, a friend who I met on Facebook has played a perfect guiding force ever since we have known each other. Even though she is based in the US of A, we connect through mails regularly to discuss various things about the movement. Blessings from my English teacher Mr. KK Roy Choudhury and great friend Agith Antony,  Sandip my paperwala in Ambernath, the faceless numerous Indians on Local Trains from Ambernath to Dadar & Dadar to Andheri – and from the streets of Bombay – Andheri (W) – Bandra Linking Road & Thane, Jaya Bhattacharya, Sameer Gambhir, Anita & Kushal, Naresh, Meghana Shetty & Suresh Mistry, Aravind Chandrahshekran, Preeta Rao, Devesh Sharma, Akshay Kulkarni, Madan Patil, Raju Mishra, Sukhinder Bagai, Anandita & Ravi Malik... Swapnil Barai’s whole family’s strong support and great help, the 20 Beautiful Angels who have supported me financially... Amrita Vardarajan, Sagar Barai, Sarika Barai & her friends at Jamnalal College Bombay... and many angels who flew from various parts of the world... be it Parull Gossain, Sanjiv Chabbria, Vijay Beleri, Tarana Masand Rajpal, Aruna Ram Kumar, Uma Iyer, Deepa Nair, Swati Balgi, Arul Kennedy, Dr. Nigam (Shraddha Nigam's father) and family, Nitin of Glamsham.com, Anupama Naigaokar and family (they adopted me last year as their son)... my lovely and kind landlord Mr. Vaidya and family, Sheba Thayil... the blog followers and readers from all over the world, my FB friends... well, the list is surely going to get longer... please do forgive me if I have missed your names... each one of you has been and will always be THE great part of the journey of destiny...

Certainly when I started the journey all alone... I never did realize so many angels will fly to become part of my destiny... people who I have never met, have come to become such good friends and their undying support for the movement has made all this possible... I am just the medium to act on the will of everyone’s destiny’s act... Yes, the blessings of all the villagers I have met and interacted during all these months have given me the required strength to keep moving slow and steadily... I have put in and will always put in the best of the best efforts in trying to make few lives of the poor villagers of my beloved nation better till the time this body will allow me to do... this is a very-very long journey before we achieve something better... but I know my Sai Baba and my Mamman will see me through this journey of destiny.

Last but not the least, I wish to add my Australian friend Lan Christine Parks and all the cast and crew of DESTINY’S WEB, who are helping me with my first international film as a scriptwriter in Australia.

The “Journey of Destiny” continues...

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

SOLUTION TO SOLVE WOES OF PAPs - PROJECTS’ AFFECTED PEOPLE

“Every problem has a solution!” – So many years ago my Mathematics teacher stated!

Life is just like Mathematics! There are problems and problems and every problem has a number attached to it with a simple solution, for those who know how to solve the problem in few simple steps, just like a problem in Mathematics...

From the time one is born till one leaves from this earth and even after... everything is connected with numbers. So every problem in life has a simple solution to solve the so-called complicated looking issues or problems. If we really wish to solve the problems at its bud by making simple efforts in proper steps, we can all solve every problem in the world. Incidentally, instead of making simple efforts, we humans have always loved to complicate simple things to such a magnitude that the problems start looking gigantic and difficult to solve. The people who are trained actually to solve problems at the top, have, actually complicated simple issues to such a magnitude that every little problem of the nation now looks like the ‘never-to-be solved’ demonic myth!

Instead of simplifying the problems, the Planning Commission of India along with the so-called able (I consider them to be incapable though with a poor IQ level that even doesn’t match the illiterate villagers of the nation) leaders of the nation, have been creating more problems for the citizen of the nation instead of solving the existing ones. Hence, everywhere we see chaos... So, even if a do-gooder individuals put their best efforts in a systematic ways, things will never improve all our lives... certainly this is not the myth but the irony of the world!

Rehabilitation of PAPs, mainly consisting of poor farmers’ community and tribals, has seen several violent agitation and protest all over the nation... from Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Maharastra, Orissa, West Bengal, Chattisgarh, Chennai to Andhra Pradesh to Karnataka... everywhere, farmers’ community led by social activists and political leaders have been protesting against the government, corporate companies and MNCs for acquiring their fertile lands by force in the name economic growth. Protest by the poor farmers’ community are turning violent because of police atrocities, lives lost, women raped by security force, property damages continue, and the huts bull dozed... with only the government, corporate companies and MNCs benefiting out of the whole exercise... because the Prime Minister, Home Minister, Finance Minister and the Planning Commission are supporting this wonderful inhuman act by misusing their power in the destructive way!

There seems to be no respite for the poor farmers’ community and the tribal sects... they have to run for their lives, trying to save whatever little they have... or else gets killed, raped or simply beaten mercilessly... all in the name of “The Great Economic Growth” of the Nation! In the name of the Economic Growth, natural jungles are being raped by MNCs (mining), Industrialists are acquiring fertile lands @ peanuts to build their industries or thermal power plants – as agricultural lands are turning into concrete jungles! Rivers, mountains, jungles and fertile lands... everything is being grabbed at such a fast pace that the generation today, will have to fight for their survival without enough water to drink, food grains to eat and enough space to live... are we really heading towards the bright future? Above all, who really benefits from all these inhuman activities? It is the universal truth that except for the few top politicians and few rich industrialists living in their ivory towers with  sleepless nights to accompany them... every single poor loses everything from their fertile lands to house to their source of livelihood!

No one seems to be really worried about how all the three parties, namely, the government, the corporate companies and the farmers’ community, can all benefit with simple solutions... thereby taking the nation forward in the real sense. It certainly is not a rocket science if we all put in use our ‘Common Sense’!

HOW THE GOVERNMENT WILL BENEFIT?

Land for economic growth is as essential as air is for humans to live! After all the Ruling Government needs land to build infrastructure, industries, educational institutions, homes etc etc... and most of the lands are either in government’s own possession or else with the farmers’ community. Rehabilitation of PAPs has seen decades and decades go by while the poor tribals or else farmers’ community are left high and dry without being paid proper compensation. The Government has the power to initiate a simple procedure where in the displaced farmers or tribals will benefit along with the Government and the corporate lobby.

STEP 1: The companies who are in need of the land should provide a two-bedroom (average family) or three-bedroom (big families) ready-made flats to each farmer displaced before acquiring their lands. This way, the PAPs will never be displaced again all their lives! There should be strict clause that the respective family cannot sell these flats to any other party lifelong, thereby securing lives of the poor forever!

STEP 2: Compensation should be calculated (as per the market rates x 4 Times) and all the money should be deposited as FIXED DEPOSIT in banks, so that PAPs can earn the monthly interest to live comfortably. Those who don’t have land (landless farmers), a minimum deposit that should earn enough interest for the families to live comfortably to compensate them.

STEP 3: The Companies should provide a job to one of the family members of the PAPs as a pact.

STEP 4: The Government should build a force of farmers (like army or police) so that agriculture is turned into the State Governed Industry, where farmers should serve on a monthly salary... as one big industry to grow food grains for the whole nation. This simple step will actually gain multi-fold benefits for the government, namely:

The Government creates a huge force of farmers just like the army, navy or air force by creating AGRICULTURE FORCE OF INDIA (AFI);

The farmers get permanent employment and after serving till the age of 65 years, will be entitle for State Pension as the defence soldiers;

The Government will cut all the profits of the middlemen / agents or traders’ lobby, thereby controlling the prices of the food grains nationwide;

The corporate companies will get the required land without any problems;

The Government can thereby safeguard all the fertile agriculture land in a systematic planned manner;

HOW THE CORPORATE WILL BENEFIT?

Off recent, many projects all across the nation (48 Plus affected regions) have seen and still facing lot of killings of poor tribals and farmers’ community by State Police firing under the State and Central Governments’ orders supporting forcibly land acquisition. Violent protest have become the norms of the day and as usual false promises by leaders, politicians and corporate & MNCs have turned the tables on corporate & MNCs as they are facing the heat to acquire the required land for their multi-billion projects.

The simple solution will benefit the corporate & MNCs in simple steps:

STEP 1: By providing ready-made flats before acquiring farmers’ lands and opening respective fixed deposits’ bank accounts for the PAPs, the corporate & MNCs will be readily and happily given the required land without any problems.

STEP 2: By providing jobs to PAPs, the companies’ labour problem is sorted out simultaneously solving the unemployment for the PAPs.

STEP 3: This way they are setting up transparency for the world to see that our corporate and MNCs are actually interested in nation’s economic growth.

STEP 4: They will also strengthen the government by helping to build a strong work force of farmers in the bargain.

STEP 5: The country benefits in real sense while everybody is making their respective profits without exploiting the poor farmers’ community.

HOW THE PAPs WILL BENEFIT?

For any farmer to lose his fertile land is the most worrisome curse or situation in his life. Being displaced to once again start his life afresh in a completely new environment with (many times) non-fertile lands to cultivate adds further to the miseries and woes for the farmers. The simple solution (simple steps) will not only help the poor farmers’ community but the government will eradicate the percentage of poor living in the nation in a systematic and effective manner.

MULTIFOLD BENEFITS FOR THE PAPs:

The future of the PAPs are secured with flats for their families and fixed deposit to earn interest to take care of their monthly expenses.

By getting employed by companies and government (in Agriculture Force of India), the percentage of unemployment in the country will decrease drastically.

With plenty of labour at disposal, labour problem of the industries and the government will be  solved.

Standard of living of the PAPs will enhance with proper education, health, medical and employment systems, thereby eradicating the percentage of poor living in the nation. This also means that because of proper health, the nation is building a healthy environment for the whole world to take notice.

INFERENCE:

Politicians, Leaders, Farmers’ Community, Corporate, MNCs, Prime Minister of India, Home Minister, Chief Ministers, NAC, Planning Commission and all respective bodies should come together to achieve these SIMPLE SOLUTIONS to take the country to a better future for every country to emulate the simple steps to strengthen the nation’s growth, wherein each one is complementing each other to better each others' lives without exploiting the poor while making the required profits.

This surely seems to be MY DREAM for MY BELOVED NATION for the coming future... so may I request one and all from the bottom of my heart to start planning and executing these simple steps to benefit the nation in the right way.

THE ACHIEVEMENTS:

The formation of AGRICULTURE FORCE OF INDIA (AFI) will benefit the government to organize the unorganized Agriculture Sector.

Eradication of Poverty in Simple Systematic Manner.

Better living standard of the poor, thereby eradicating various diseases.

Eradication of Unemployment Problems.

Facilitating the corporate and MNCs problem-free land acquisition.

Systematic growing of food grains by government’s AFI, thereby eradicating the traders’ / middlemen lobbies to bring down the prices for the citizen of the nation to benefit.

Sunday, November 27, 2011

WARDHA HUSBAND-WIFE FARMERS SHOW SIMPLE YET GREAT ACHIEVEMENTS IN FARMING TECHNIQUE

Please read everything about the wonderful husband-wife team of farmers, who have developed a simple yet great technique to save self from the clutches of suicide...

I wonder why such great achievements are not advertised and highlighted by political leaders... to safeguard Vidarbha Farmers...

Read on:
http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/agriculture/article2591999.ece
 

Friday, November 25, 2011

MSP: VIDARBHA BURNING – Continued...

The LATEST: The Chief Minister of Maharastra Prithiviraj Chavan had had a meeting with respective political leaders protesting for a Higher MSP of Cotton, Soyabean and Paddy on the 23rd November 2011.

RESULTS: None! As expected because when the CM Prithiviraj Chavan can announce the “1088 Crores Crop Failure Aid” for Vidarbha farmers last year in December 2010 and even after one year, no one really knows as to why the AID was not disbursed to the poor affected farmers??? The 1088 Crores has already earned the CM more than 594.40 Crores in INTEREST @ 5 % Monthly! So that means the CM has near about 1686.40 Crores to disburse BUT WILL HE?

Where is this huge amount going to go? I really wonder... CM Prithiviraj Chavan was entrusted the job by the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh because of his clean image... so why has he not disburse the Financial AID to poor Farmers of Vidarbha Region since the last 11 months??? This is one more SCAM that the Congress Ruling State has given birth to... why is Rahul Gandhi quiet on this?

Continuing from the last post... (I had written the whole post in one sitting so the latest development is being put for everyone to note the latest development)

I am happy in a way! Because of the Civic Assembly Elections next year, the local politicians have woken up to support and protest against the plight of the farmers’ community for a better MSP for their produce. If I may remind you all about the last year 2010 – none of the politicians from any parties came forward to support the farmers... the simple fact being, there was no election to be fought, while the government had fixed the MSP of Cotton @ Rs. 3000/- per quintal. Nature surely helped Indian farmers. It was a well-known fact that because of floods in he neighbouring countries like China, Bangladesh, Pakistan... the cash crop was washed out completely, thereby creating shortage in the international market. While the government procurement centres remained empty... the opportunistic traders’ lobby were quick to make money by offering a good price ranging from Rs. 4000/- to Rs. 7600/- per quintal for cotton to farmers. The farmers and the traders’ lobby were both happy to complement each other and benefit from the situation. The farmers of Vidarbha and Gujarat surely reaped a good price courtesy nature’s fury in neighbouring countries.

This year, 2011, the good rainfall surely has seen a very good yield of cotton, soyabean and paddy... as we all know, whenever the agriculture produce is in plenty, the traders’ lobby along with international market and respective politicians intelligently manipulates the prices in the open market... during such times, the government governed MSP come to save the farmers... but how will a farmer survive if the MSP itself is less than their initial investment? So, more than the rescue act of the government, the government actually are exploiting the poor illiterate farmers of the nation by fixing MSP in such a fashion that in any case, the government and the traders’ lobby will benefit to exploit the farmers to further push them into the debt’s vicious circle. The farmers’ dreams are all shattered after harvesting even good yield with all their hard work and sacrifice.

Yes, there is no one who is willing to help this farmers in real sense. In February 2010, I had started the series – WHAT THE FARMERS NEED? – in which I had discussed several points / needs that should be made mandatory for the farmers’ community, so that their selfless hard work can feed the nation and continue farming. Because if the farmers are benefitted like any other businessmen / houses, the nation and the citizen of the nation will benefit... otherwise the day is not too far (like the situation in France & Japan), when the farmers’ community will extinct like various animal species in the wild are vanishing from the earth. In Japan, farmers are leaving farming to migrate to cities to do menial jobs just to feed their families... because the escalating input prices of various essentials to grow a crop doesn’t even equals to the output. So, it doesn’t make any sense to be a farmer any more! In France, the farmers’ community are towards extinction because of faulty government policies. A small country like Indonesia too, is facing the heat of faulty government policies... all over the world, be it farmers from the US, Canada, UK, Australia, Germany, Sweden, Pakistan, Brazil... you name it... the problems of the farmers’ community are IDENTICAL as the Vidarbha Region of Maharastra!

Indian farmers, unlike the farmers of the world, are a resilience lot... who are selflessly working hard zealously to feed the 1.22 Billion population against all odds!

I request from the bottom of my heart to everyone along with the concerned authorities in the State and Central Government to help the farmers by giving their respective dues for their hard work before we as the nation arrive to the same situation like many developed nations are facing today... I also request all the local politicians of Vidarbha to support the farmers’ community in true sense rather than just for their momentary gains, whether it is election time or not...





15th February 2011







Wednesday, November 23, 2011

MSP: VIDARBHA BURNING!

MSP: Minimum Support Price is the price the Central Government fixes for all the Agriculture Produce in India, suppose to benefit the farmers’ community BUT...

MSP has turned out to be Murderous Systematic Plan by the Government!

I had written about the MSP as one of the major requirements or needs of the farmers in February 2011, please read in detail under the series “WHAT THE FARMERS NEED”



Petrol and petroleum products have seen 13 times Price Hike since the last 13 months and when the PM is pushed by allies, he states – “The Government has no say in Private Sectors.” But when it comes to Agriculture Produce, the government keeps a check on the farmers’ community to increase their woes and miseries further more by fixing a low MSP, which is not even equivalent to their initial investment, forget about their selfless hard work all through the year in hot sun, high temperatures and heavy rains.

Every manufacturer and producer, be it a drug manufacturing company or a builder, soap making companies or an advertising agency, media or else any one who is a businessman are allowed to fix a “Particular Price” for their finished or raw products EXCEPT my dear citizen of the world, THE FARMERS!!! WHY? WHY? WHY? Just because they are the poor lot? The world all over, the respective government of each country have been exploiting the farmers’ community along with the rich traders lobby of the market to control the price of agriculture produce.

Thanks to the Civic Assembly Polls early next year 2012 (in February), every opposition party including few Congress leaders too, have voiced their concern to increase the MSP of Cotton, Soyabean, Paddy and other crops as well (only recently when the Marathawada Farmers protested for the increase in Sugarcane MSP, the Agriculture Minister & the CM increased the MSP – for the simple reason... all the Sugar Mills & Liquor Distilleries are owned by Kith & Kins of Political Leaders)... Protest and Agitation on the roads have become the order of the day in various districts of Vidarbha. I am glad that at least this year, the political leaders have woken up (even if it is for their vote bank in polls), it is certainly a welcome sign! The series – WHAT THE FARMERS NEED – certainly tries to show how the farmers can be helped and supported to increase their output if the government and political leaders join hands... mere promises will never solve the crisis in Vidarbha or else any nation...

All along, the hard work of selfless farmers’ community, to feed the nation and allow everyone except his own family to benefit – are being exploited, controlled and looted while pushing them towards the edge, whereby their only choices remain is to succumb to end their lives or else migrate to cities leaving their traditional ancient profession. Instead of helping the farmers’ community, the government has been sucking even the last drop of blood from the poor farmers...

Their fertile lands are being grabbed at an alarming pace in the name of economic growth!
,
The water for irrigation are being diverted to heavy industries and thermal power projects to illuminate the cities while the villagers live in darkness since time immemorial!

Their seeds also have been snatched away from them by selling the patent rights to big greedy MNCs like Monasato, GM etc...!

Their Cattle Bank have been snatched away from them by showing a false dream of modernisation of agriculture, thereby making the hardworking farmers to depend more on machines to make them lazy as compared to earlier times!

Come Sowing Season, the government along with traders’ lobby create artificial shortage of seeds, pesticides and fertilizers to escalate prices to loot the farmers, thereby increasing their initial investment and those who cannot afford with whatever they have, have no option but to get into the debt trap!

Their electricity connections (those who have, majority have not seen electricity in their lives) are cut exactly at the particular time when they need to irrigate their lands... yes, unlike the rich industrialists, the farmers’ community don’t get a special low tariff! Yes, none of the politicians have ever bothered about this aspect!

AND, fighting against all odds with nature’s mood – either there is heavy rainfall, no rainfall or scanty rainfall, along with all the factors mentioned above (there are many more but I have mentioned only the major ones) – when the farmers harvest a bumper yield – the BIG BLOW comes like a TIGHT SLAP on their FACES with low MSP while the traders’ lobby will dictate the terms and condition to exploit the poor to crush to their dreams for their families!

So tell me citizen of the world... how will a poor farmer survive the onslaught of the greedy corrupt system of government’s faulty policies and manipulations of the traders’ lobby?

Vidarbha is burning this year 2011 not because the MSP for Cotton, Soyabean or Paddy is low... Vidarbha is burning because there is Civic Assembly Polls next year 2012 and every political parties have come on roads to encash their vote bank! I am happy for the farmers because even though the political parties are protesting in support of higher MSP, at least the poor farmers will benefit to get a higher MSP for their produce...

... to be continued...

GRATEFUL TO SHRADDHA NIGAM & HER FATHER DR. NIGAM

I have known Television and cinema actress Shraddha Nigam since 2001 since her KRISHNA ARJUN days... a very sweet beautiful noble individual with who I struck a chord right in our first meeting while I was working with SCREEN. Needless to say, the interview went well and since then we have been friends, keeping in regular touch over phone and meetings in parties and at home. A little later, I also covered her beautiful home for SOCIETY INTERIORS and the whole family loved the coverage.



I do feel blessed for Shraddha's loving parents with whom I do share a beautiful rapport. And her mother's tea is simply awesome... I often do land up at their place and aunty is always too happy to serve me her awesome tea! I must confess I feel truly  blessed because I have been treated very well with all my celebrity friends from the industry then and even now at their homes. Shraddha Nigam has been very supportive and encouraging when she came to know about my movement in Vidarbha. She is always there to lend me moral support and always asks me as to what she can do to support the movement. She is someone with who I can talk about anything and our friendship blossomed over the last one decade. I still do feel as if I met her just yesterday for the interview.

I requested her to request her father to send me some medicines for the villagers. She was very excited to be of help for this noble cause! Almost immediately, she called me back to inform me and said dad is too happy to help me... in her words, “daddy says that he would do anything for Johnny.” This was the sweetest thing one can hear of the strong support from someone who cares for the poor. She then asked me to send the list of medicines to her father and also call him. Father Dr. Nigam and daughter Shraddha came in as a blessing as they were very happy to do a little bit (according to them). He asked me to send the list and said he will let me know soon.

A few days later, I requested Shraddha if she will be kind enough to send me the medicines in my Wardha address. “Of course! This is the least I can do!” So promptly, all the medicines were packed and dispatched to me. I called both of them after I received the parcel. Dr. Nigam said, “Johnny just let me know what are the regular medicines that are handy in the villages, so that I can send them regularly to you and as and when you require.” I thanked father and daughter from the bottom of my heart and will always be grateful for their kind support and help.

Angels are visibly invisible... this journey of destiny surely has made me meet so many beautiful angels from all over the world with their invaluable contributions, help and support. Dr. Nigam and her beautiful daughter Shraddha Nigam are also beautiful angels who have been always there for me... and yes, not forgetting aunty whose wonderful tea rejuvenates and our interaction on various spiritual journeys to have taught me so many good things of life. Grateful and thankful to the whole Nigam family for their beautiful support from the bottom of my heart. Sai Baba bless you all always and forever!!!