A 36-year-old Borivali resident recently became a victim of cyber fraud after he was targeted by a group of cyber fraudsters who posed as representatives of FedEx and police officials and siphoned off over Rs 15 lakhs. The Borivali man only realised the fraud days after the crime first happened and filed a complaint at North Cyber Police station on April 10. The mid-day had earlier reported that in a similar case, a Goregaon man was scammed of Rs 6 lakhs but timely police intervention helped recover the amount. The man, a resident of Borivali's Yogi Nagar, had received a call from fraudsters posing as representatives of FedEx and they later contacted him claiming to be officers of Mumbai Cyber Police's Crime Branch in Byculla and defrauded him under the pretence of conducting an investigation. According to the complaint, on April 6, the Borivali man was contacted through an unknown number and a computerised voice informed him that his parcel was returned to FedEx and asked the man to press 1 if he sought additional details. Upon doing so, he was connected with the fraudster who posed as a FedEx executive and told the man that one of his parcels had been intercepted by Mumbai Customs and they recovered three Thai passports, credit cards and 140 grams of mephedrone with four kgs of clothes from it. When the Borivali man pleaded innocence, the caller threatened to transfer the call to the Byculla cyber police crime branch and later connected him with another fraudster posing to be a police official. The fake official, under the pretence of conducting an investigation, instructed the Borivali resident to not discuss the matter with anyone over a Skype call. The official reasoned that it was a matter of national security and also said they would have to inspect his accounts under a money laundering case. The imposter then told the Borivali man to consolidate funds from various bank accounts into one and directed him to transfer it to the account provided by them with the assurance that the money would be returned upon completion of the probe and embezzled over Rs 15 lakh from him. Trusting the imposter, the victim followed his instructions but no such reimbursement occurred. The Borivali resident later confided in a close friend and realised that he was scammed and filed a complaint. The Cyber Police have recorded his statement and initiated an investigation after gathering all evidence regarding this matter.
19 April,2024 01:03 PM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanSenior BJP leader Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil on Thursday night called on Union minister Ramdas Athawale here and sought his support for securing victory in Shirdi and Ahmednagar South Lok Sabha constituencies in Maharashtra for the ruling Mahayuti alliance, sources told news agency PTI. Sadashiv Lokhande of the ruling Shiv Sena is pitted against Bhausaheb Wakhchaure of the Shiv Sena (UBT) in Shirdi, while in Ahmednagar South, Sujay Vikhe Patil is the BJP nominee against Nilesh Lanke of the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar). District and taluka office-bearers of the Athawale-led RPI (A) from the two constituencies were present at the closed-door meeting held at the Union minister's Mumbai residence, reported PTI. The sources told PTI that Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil is the Mahayuti in-charge of Shirdi and Ahmednagar South and is entrusted with the task of getting both seats in the BJP-led alliance's kitty. Sujay Vikhe Patil, the son of Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, is the sitting MP from Ahmednagar South. Athawale, a BJP ally, had sought the Shirdi seat for himself and was unhappy that he wasn't consulted on naming the candidate. The sources said Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil sought cooperation of Athawale's supporters in the two constituencies to ensure victory of the Mayayuti nominees. The RPI (A) has pockets of influence in the two seats. The Mahayuti alliance consists of the BJP, the Shiv Sena and the NCP. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve on Thursday said that the undivided Shiv Sena did a lot for Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, including getting Rs 200 crore sanctioned for Nandur Madhameshwar canal when former MP Chandrakant Khaire was district guardian minister in 1995-99. Khaire was defeated by AIMIM's Imtiaz Jaleel in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Addressing a press conference, Danve said the Nandur Madhameshwar canal significantly increased irrigation in Vaijapur taluka, adding that Khaire also got permission for widening of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar-Waluj road. "He also did rigorous follow-up for the making of Dhule-Solapur (NH52) highway that passes through district. The Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor was also sanctioned in his term. Funds for the water grid project in Paithan was sanctioned by the Uddhav Thackeray led MVA government," Danve added, reported PTI. Danve said the city used to get water once in three days earlier when MVA was in power, while now (under Shiv Sena-BJP-NCP dispensation) it was once every nine days. (With inputs from PTI)
19 April,2024 10:58 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentMaharashtra had a 7.3 per cent turnout in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections up till 9 am in five constituencies. Nagpur, Ramtek (SC), Bhandara-Gondia, Chandrapur, and the Naxal-affected Gadchiroli-Chimur (ST) constituency in the state's east are among these seats. By 9 am Gadchiroli-Chimur had the highest turnout with 8.43 per cent of voters casting their ballots for Lok Sabha Elections 2024 followed by Nagpur which was at 7.73 per cent. Chandrapur's tally stood at 7.44 per cent while Bhandara-Gondia's tally was 7.22 per cent. Ramtek saw the lowest voter turnout by 9 am with the tally at 5.82 per cent. The average turnout across these constituencies was 7.3 per cent. The voting process for Maharashtra's 43 other Lok Sabha seats will be divided into four phases which will be held on April 26 and in May. The Vidarbha area, where these constituencies are located, has 95,54,667 voters. There are 48,28,142 males, 47,26,178 females, and 347 transgender voters, the PTI report further added. In Nagpur, senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari will face Congress' Vikas Thakre; in Chandrapur, BJP's Sudhir Mungantiwar will face Congress' Pratibha Dhanorkar; and in Bhandara-Gondia, BJP's Sunil Mendhe will face Congress' Dr Prashant Patole, the report stated. Meanwhile, in the Naxal-hit Gadchiroli-Chimur constituency, BJP's Ashok Nete confronts Congress' Dr Namdev Kirsan, and in Ramtek, Congress' Shyamkumar Barwe faces Shiv Sena's Raju Parwe, the PTI report added. Certain assembly segments, notably those in the Naxal-hit area, will vote between 7 am and 3 pm, whilst other regions will vote until 6 pm. Lok Sabha Elections 2024 polling for the other 43 seats in Maharashtra The second phase of voting, scheduled on April 26, 2024, will take place in eight constituencies: Buldhana, Akola, Amravati, Wardha, Yavatmal Washim, Hingoli, Nanded, and Parbhani. On May 7, 2024, the third round of voting will be held in 11 constituencies, including Raigad, Baramati, Dharashiv, Latur, Solapur, Madha, Sangli, Satara, Ratnagiri Sindhudurg, Kolhapur, and Hatkanangle. The fourth phase will take place on June 4, 2024, for seats in Nandurbar, Jalgaon, Raver, Jalna, Sambhajinagar, Maval, Pune, Shirur, Ahmednagar, Shirdi, and Beed. The fifth and final phase of voting will be held on May 20, 2024, in 13 constituencies: Washim, Dindori, Nashik, Palghar, Bhiwandi, Welfare, Thane, Mumbai North, Mumbai North West, Mumbai North East, Mumbai North Central, Mumbai South Central, and Mumbai South.
19 April,2024 10:44 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentRichest Indian Mukesh Ambani on Saturday said the business community has the responsibility to build a stronger and more inclusive India, reported new agency PTI. Addressing an event organised by the Gems and Jewellery Exports Promotion (GJEPC) on March 30 in Mumbai, the chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries also exuded confidence that the industry will reach its goal of touching USD 100 billion in exports in the next few decades. "All of us collectively in the business community have a responsibility to build a stronger, better and more inclusive India to fulfil the vision and the goal that our PM has set for us, that of a Viksit Bharat, a fully developed India in the next decades," he said, reported PTI. Ambani congratulated the gems and diamonds industry for the work they have done over the past few decades to reach USD 40 billion in exports and create over 50 lakh jobs in the country. From modest beginnings, the industry led by people from Palanpur made big strides, Ambani said, stressing that he is "proud" of the work. He said the Ambani family has its roots in Kathiawad and also hinted at the possibilities of working together with the Palanpuris. "Sometimes partnership between the Kathaiwadis and Palanpuris can make the opportunity bigger. The bigger the pie, the better for us," he said, reported PTI. Ambani also said that his daughter-in-law Shloka Mehta is the daughter of Russel Mehta of Rosyblue, among the pioneering companies in the sector, and added that the Ambani family is "fortunate" to have Shloka, who "radiates warmth and wisdom", reported PTI. Mehta was awarded the Lifetime Achievement award at the event, which was also attended by Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais. The Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) is the apex body of the gem and jewellery industry in India. "As a businessman, I have to admire what you have achieved. You really represent the true meaning of entrepreneurship and enterprise," Ambani said in his address, reported ANI. "You are in an industry where, as India, we don't have diamonds, we don't produce gold, but through your enterprise and Indian talent, you have created a very large industry over the last four decades and have continuously been among the top three exports industries from India," he added, reported ANI. Ambani said the gems and jewellery sector has the potential to achieve USD 100 billion in exports in the time to come. At present, India's gems and jewellery sector contributes about USD 40 billion in exports annually and employs about 5 million individuals. "You now have the opportunity to really be the champions of Make in India. To add value; to represent Indian design and Indian concepts and Indian talent to the rest of the world," said Ambani, reported ANI. India's gems and jewellery exports was worth Rs 37.74 billion in 2022-23. (With inputs from PTI and ANI)
19 April,2024 10:36 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued a provisional attachment order (PAO) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) for assets worth Rs 113.5 crore linked to builder Lalit Tekchandani and his partners in a case involving defrauding potential homebuyers. The connected assets include a home in Aambey Valley, residential and commercial properties in Mumbai, land parcels in the Raigad district, and fixed deposits totalling Rs 113.5 crore. The agency has already frozen/seized investments in shares, mutual funds, and fixed deposits totalling Rs 43 crore, stated an IANS report. According to the report, the ED's probe, which began after two FIRs were filed in Mumbai, stated that Supreme Construction & Developer Pvt Ltd, represented by Tekchandani and others, received significant money from over 1,700 homeowners in a housing project in Taloja, Navi Mumbai. However, delays in the project prevented these homebuyers from receiving flats or refunds. ”The probe revealed that Supreme Construction collected funds amounting to more than Rs 400 crore from more than 1,700 homebuyers in a housing project at Taloja. Delays in the project left these homebuyers in the lurch without flats or refunds,” the report quoted the ED statement released on Thursday. As per the report, Lalit Tekchandani, arrested by the ED on March 18 under PMLA provisions, is still in judicial custody. During interrogation, it was discovered that cash collected from homebuyers was laundered for personal gain and used to create assets in numerous names, including those of family members, the report added. “His interrogation revealed that the funds received from the homebuyers were laundered by the builder for personal gains and creation of assets in various names, including family members,” the ED statement further stated. Despite leaving Supreme Construction as owner and director, Tekchandani allegedly disposed of the company's properties with the help of other accused individuals. Earlier in February, the ED had carried out searches at 22 locations in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai which were linked to builder Lalit Tekchandani and had freezer Rs 30 crore then. The ED, reportedly, had carried out the searches on February 7 under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 in a cheating case.
19 April,2024 09:01 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Maharashtra Congress on Thursday demanded that the candidature of all the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena nominees be cancelled for violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) for allegedly using state transport buses for their election campaign. Congress’ state unit spokesperson Atul Londhe, in a letter to the chief electoral officer, said action should also be taken against officers of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) for allowing the use of its buses for election campaigning. Atul Londhe, Cong state spokesperson He alleged that since the start of the Lok Sabha election campaign, the ruling BJP and Shiv Sena have repeatedly violated the MCC and the Congress had filed a formal complaint about it with the Election Commission (EC). “The Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Shinde has violated the MCC by illegally displaying banners on the MSRTC buses while campaigning for the party,” he said. Londhe mentioned that the EC’s letter which has been sent to the cabinet secretaries, chief secretaries and chief executive officers of all the states bans the use of government properties and public undertakings for campaigning. “Despite the ban, MSRTC officials have allowed more than 1,000 buses to be used illegally for the election campaign of Shiv Sena candidates by allowing banners to be displayed on these buses,” he claimed. The banners prominently feature photos of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, CM Eknath Shinde, Dy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, and the bow and arrow symbol of Shiv Sena, Londhe alleged. MSRTC officials have not only violated the MCC, but also undermined the fairness and integrity of the election process, he said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
19 April,2024 07:15 AM IST | Mumbai | AgenciesThe Election Commission has finalised the candidate list for the first two phases of Lok Sabha elections polling which begins tomorrow. The general elections in Maharashtra will be held in five phases between April 19 and May 20 to elect 48 members of the 18th Lok Sabha. The five phases of 48 seats include April 19 (5 seats), April 26 (8 seats), May 7 (11 seats), May 13 (11 seats) and May 20 (13 seats). The candidate list for the first two phases (April 19 and 26) has now been finalised. While the first list includes five seats of Ramtek, Nagpur, Bhandara-Gondia, Gadchiroli-Chimur and Chandrapur, the second phase includes eight seats of Buldhana, Akola, Amravati, Wardha, Yavatmal-Washim, Hingoli, Nanded and Parbhani. First phaseIn the first phase, elections today (April 19), a total of 97 candidates are in the ring, and among the five seats in Maharashtra, Ramtek has the highest, that is 28 candidates alone, followed by 26 in Nagpur, 18 in Bhandara-Gondia, 10 in Gadchiroli-Chimur and 15 in Chandrapur. Of the 28 candidates in Ramtek, 12 are independent and the rest belong to some party. While the Mahayuti that is the Shinde-led Sena and the BJP has Raju Parve as the candidate, the Maha Vikas Aghadi, a coalition of Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, NCP (SP), and a few more parties, has Shamkumar (Bablu) Daulat Barve (Congress) as the candidate followed by other smaller parties. There are only two women- Manjusha Sachin Gaikwad from the Akhil Bharatiya Parivar Party and Roshni Atul Gajbhiye from the Gondwana Ganatantra Party. Second phaseIn the second phase, elections for which are on Friday, April 26, a total of 204 candidates are in the ring, and among the eight seats in Maharashtra, Amravati has the highest, that is 37 candidates, followed by 34 in Parbhani, 33 in Hingoli, 24 in Wardha, 21 in Buldhana, 23 in Nanded, 17 in Yavatmal-Washim and 15 in Akola. Of the 37 candidates in Amravati, 24 are independent, and the rest belong to some party. While the Mahayuti and the BJP have Navneet Ravi Rana as its candidate, the Maha Vikas Aghadi, a coalition of Uddhav Sena, Congress, NCP, and a few more parties, has Balwant Baswant Wankhade (Congress) as the candidate, followed by other smaller parties. Of the 37, there are six female candidates. 97No of candidates in the first phase
19 April,2024 07:03 AM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. AklekarIn a scenario reminiscent from the movie “Newton,” where actor Rajkumar Rao's character is dispatched to oversee elections in a sensitive Maoist-affected area, over 460 polling officials have been airdropped into “sensitive” and “hypersensitive” booths in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli-Chimur Lok Sabha seat in Vidarbha region ahead of the first phase of polling on April 19. Election officials and state police have intensified security measures in Maoist-affected Gadchiroli, mobilizing 15,000 personnel for action. Gadchiroli police informed mid-day that security measures have been bolstered by 30-40% compared to the previous elections in the region, known for its high number of sensitive and hypersensitive polling booths. Unprecedented security arrangements include aerial surveillance by helicopters and real-time drone monitoring. Superintendent of Police (SP) Gadchiroli, Neelotpal, told mid-day, “Elaborate security preparations have been made ahead of polling day. This year, 87 companies (each comprising 100 personnel) of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) are engaged in security, up from 74 companies in the last election. Of these, 47 companies are already deployed, with 40 more to be deployed from external assistance. Additionally, 1,500 more police personnel and 1,750 home guards have been summoned from other parts of the state. The total deployment on polling day will reach approximately 15,000.” According to SP Gadchiroli, the constituency comprises 948 polling booths (150 urban, 798 rural), of which 587 are classified as normal and 361 as critical. “All 361 critical polling stations will have CAPF deployment,” he added. Neelotpal said, “Six Mi-17 helicopters are conducting aerial surveillance, along with one exclusive air ambulance, totaling seven aircrafts. In the previous elections, only three aircrafts were deployed on the polling day. Thirty-five base camps will be served by choppers, with approximately 180 projected sorties. Additionally, a fleet of 130 drones will monitor from the skies.”
19 April,2024 07:00 AM IST | Gadchiroli | Dipti SinghThe Enforcement Directorate (ED) has allegedly attached properties belonging to Raj Kundra and his wife, actress Shilpa Shetty, worth about Rs 97.79 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, in connection with a Bitcoin investment fraud case. According to ED sources, the attached properties include a residential flat in Juhu, currently registered under Shilpa’s name, a residential bungalow in Pune, and equity shares in Kundra’s name all worth about Rs 97.79 crore. Kundra, who spent two months in jail in connection with a pornography case, was granted bail in September 2021. The latest action by the ED is part of a money laundering case filed against Kundra based on multiple FIRs registered by Maharashtra and Delhi Police against M/s Variable Tech Pvt Ltd, including Amit Bhardwaj, Ajay Bhardwaj, Vivek Bhardwaj, Simp Bhardwaj, Mahender Bhardwaj, and several multi-level marketing agents. The FIRs allege that the accused collected significant funds in Bitcoins, approximately worth Rs 6,600 crore, from the public with false promises of a 10 per cent monthly return in Bitcoins. According to ED sources, Kundra received 285 Bitcoin from Amit, the mastermind and promoter of the Gain Bitcoin Ponzi scam, for setting up a Bitcoin mining farm in Ukraine. These Bitcoins were sourced from proceeds of crime collected by Amit from unsuspecting investors. Despite the deal falling through, Kundra did not return the 285 Bitcoins, presently valued at over R150 crore. Earlier search operations led to the arrest of three individuals—Simpy Bhardwaj, Nitin Gaur, and Nikhil Mahajan—who are currently in judicial custody. The main accused, Ajay and Mahendra, are still evading law enforcement. This marks the second attachment in the case, with earlier properties worth Rs 69 crore being attached by the ED. Rs 6,600 croreTotal cost of fraud
19 April,2024 06:58 AM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanIt appears that Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) Mumbai North West candidate Amol Kirtikar is gaining momentum and establishing a significant advantage, given that his opponents have not yet settled on any candidates. In the meantime, Kirtikar has initiated an extensive campaign, diligently reaching out to both small and large mandals in his constituency. “The good part about our Lok Sabha candidate Amol-bhaiya is that he is very approachable to everyone and he has already started meeting the people in our Lok Sabha constituency. His plus point is that he comes from a well-educated background and has a good vision for eco-friendly development works in the constituency. I feel our party will win this seat with a huge margin because the opposition has yet not found suitable candidates,” said Sudhakar Ahire, shakha pramukh of Shiv Sena (UBT), Ward 68. Kirtikar has already started extensive campaigning in the six Assembly segments and has also been meeting people from all Ganpati, Navratri, Dahi Handi mandals and various religious mandals. Outrage in Santacruz’s Khotwadi: Builder denying transit rent for 6 years, erected 50 illegal flats Meanwhile, there have been several speculations and discussions in political circles about who will be the candidates for the Shinde Sena and National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for the Mumbai North West seat. It was also speculated that actor Govinda Ahuja who joined Eknath Shinde faction recently might get the ticket from North West, but it does not seem that he will be fielded. There were also discussions in political circles that Marathi actor Sharad Ponkshe and Shinde faction MLA Ravindra Waikar might contest, but those speculations have cooled down. The recent buzz in the constituency and political circles is that former Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam might be given a ticket but there are also talks that NDA wants to give a Marathi face as the constituency has a high percentage of Marathi voters. If we look at the data, the Mumbai North West constituency has a mix of population. However, the Marathi, Muslim, Gujarati and North Indian votes play a crucial role. Around 37.2 per cent are Marathi voters, followed by 19.3 per cent Muslims, 18.3 per cent North Indian, and 12.4 per cent Gujarati/Marwadi voters. There are also South Indian (5.6 per cent), Christian (2.8 per cent), others (2.1 per cent), Punjabi (1.3 per cent) and Sindhi (1 per cent) voters. The six Assembly segments of the Mumbai North West constituency include Andheri East, Versova, Andheri West, Jogeshwari East, Dindoshi and Goregaon. Of these, three are with BJP, two with Shiv Sena (UBT) and one with the Shinde Shiv where Ravindra Waikar from UBT. 2019 Lok Sabha statistics During the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Shiv Sena leader Gajanan Kirtikar who had contested as an NDA candidate secured 5,70,063 votes and won with a lead of 2,60,328. Sanjay Nirupam who had contested on a Congress ticket had secured 3,09,735 votes and was the runner-up. Suresh Sundar Shetty of the Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi secured 23,422 votes to emerge third. 2014 Lok Sabha statistics During the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Kirtikar who had contested as a NDA candidate secured 4,64,820 votes and had won with a lead of 1,83,028. Gurdas Kamat who contested on a Congress ticket secured 2,81,792 votes, while actor-director Mahesh Manjrekar who contested on an MNS ticket secured 66,088 votes to take the third position. 6No of Assembly segments in Mumbai North West constituency
19 April,2024 06:58 AM IST | Mumbai | Ranjeet JadhavJust over a hundred kilometres from the main Yavatmal highway lies the nondescript village of Jalka. It is home to farm widow Kalavati Bandurkar, 64, who became the face of Vidarbha’s agrarian crisis in 2008, following a visit to her home by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Since then, the resident of Maregaon taluka has remained a focal point during subsequent elections. Kalavati still resides in the home where her husband took his own life by consuming poison due to the financial crisis 19 years ago. It has been a long and arduous journey for her since then. She single-handedly raised her nine children—seven daughters and two sons. Between 2011 and 2018, she endured the loss of one of her daughters, her son-in-law and her younger son. Kalavati Bandurkar at her Jalka residence in Yavatmal’s Maregaon taluka on Wednesday Speaking to mid-day, Kalavati recounted receiving financial assistance from local government bodies only after Gandhi visited her in 2008. Nonetheless, she remains disheartened by the lack of significant change in the plight of farmers in Vidarbha even 19 years after her husband's death. Political angle Kalavati's name resurfaced last August when, during the debate on the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah invoked her. Shah claimed that Rahul Gandhi had attempted to kick-start his political career 13 times, beginning with Kalavati in 2008, but had failed on every occasion. He went on to claim, “It was Narendra Modi who facilitated the provision of a house, electricity, gas connections, toilets, rations, and healthcare for Kalavati. Even Kalavati, whose home you visited, trusts Modi-ji.” Kalavati is quick to offer clarity on the matter. She asserts, “I have no personal grievances against Prime Minister Narendra Modi-ji, but it's factual that my life took a turn for the better solely because of Rahul Gandhi. It was only after he visited my home in 2008 that local authorities began mobilising, and I received financial assistance. I distinctly recall it was under the Congress government at the time. The Modi government came into power in 2014. I recall an organisation, which I prefer not to name, persuaded me to accompany them to speak to farmers and farm widows. Without consulting me, they declared on live television that I was contesting elections on their party ticket. I declined. Yet, the BJP government came to power. How then can they claim credit for the house, electricity and assistance I received during their tenure? That's simply not true.” Tragic incident “My husband tragically took his own life in 2005 due to the farm and debt crisis. We were preparing for our daughter's wedding when he quietly stepped outside and ingested poison. While people talk about farmers who take their own lives to escape debts, what about the widows they leave behind? The debt passes on to her along with the responsibility of caring for the children. Between 2005 and 2008, making ends meet was a constant struggle. It was only after Rahul's visit that we received any significant help.” Kalavati emphasises that she hasn’t received any assistance since 2014. “Initially, I received Rs 3 lakh, which I used to repair things and improve our living conditions. Another Rs 3 lakh was deposited into my account. Subsequently, I received R30 lakh from the NGO Sulabh International. I've invested this money in fixed deposits, generating a monthly interest of around R16,000. This enabled me to arrange marriages for my daughters and build a solid house,” she said. Agrarian woes Her son is studying in Chandrapur and aspiring to secure a job in the police force or as a forest guard. Kalavati said, “When my husband was alive, we engaged in various work and were compensated for our efforts. Now, I own three acres of land in Chandrapur, where we cultivate cotton and soya beans. However, the rising costs of seeds coupled with stagnant minimum support prices for crops result in minimal profits, and often, losses. This season, despite spending around Rs 1.20 lakh on seeds and management, we barely earned Rs 70,000 to Rs 80,000. Even with the interest from the fixed deposits, saving anything substantial is challenging.” The high expenses associated with seeds and maintenance, juxtaposed with meagre returns, are pushing many farmers into debt. Kalavati laments that this plight is shared by the majority of farmers in Vidarbha. Jalka falls within the Chandrapur Lok Sabha constituency, although it is situated in the Yavatmal district. The constituency was the sole seat from where Congress won in 2019. Spate of suicides The state government’s data on farmer suicides backs Kalavati’s statements. As many as 2,851 farmers died by suicide in 2023 due to distress. The figure was 2,942 in 2022 and 2,743 in in 2021. Vidarbha had the highest number of cases (1,439), followed by Marathwada (1,088). As per the data, 318 farmers died by suicide in Amravati district, 302 in Yavatmal, 292 in Buldhana, 269 in Beed, 182 in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and 151 in Jalgaon. The prevailing sentiment among farmers in Vidarbha is discontent and anger. Especially with PM Modi’s 2014 promise ahead of elections to implement the Swaminathan Committee’s recommendations, which are yet to be fulfilled even after two elections. Avinash Dhawas, a cotton farmer from Korpana village near Chandrapur, lamented the significant losses incurred due to crop destruction. “I hope whichever government comes, they secure better prices for cotton and tur. We are facing a lot of issues due to unseasonal rains, floods and other climate issues,” he said, acknowledging the persistent challenges faced by farmers. Another farmer from Yavatmal, Gyandev Chaudhary, expressed, “Agriculture is our only source of livelihood. Expenses are increasing each year, so we take loans to invest money in seeds and raw materials such as fertiliser. But the amount we get for our produce is very low. This won’t work every time. I appeal to the government to prioritise farmer-centric policy issues, or else they will incur the wrath of farmers and suffer greatly.” Under the leadership of Dr Swaminathan, the National Commission on Farmers (NCF) was established in 2004. Between 2004 and 2006, the commission produced five reports offering recommendations aimed at boosting the productivity, profitability and sustainability of India's primary farming systems. Activist Speak Vijay Jawandhia, a prominent farm activist in Vidarbha, a region plagued by India’s highest rate of farmer suicides, expressed his frustration, stating, “Politics are overshadowing farmers’ concerns. Politicians have once again failed to adequately address the pressing issues faced by Vidarbha’s soya bean and cotton-growing farmers during their recent election campaigns.” He continued, “They promise and give assurances before every election, but as soon as they come to power, everything is forgotten.” Chronology samajhiye Jawandhia, founder member of the Shetkari Sanghatana said, “Around 2008-2009, Dr Manmohan Singh, the former prime minister, visited Vidarbha. That was when he realised that the gap between urban and rural economies was increasing. Due to global low prices, the distress among farmers and farming increased, leading to debt, and the number of suicides started increasing across the country. Dr Singh agreed that there was a need to pump money into the rural economy at the earliest. And MNREGA was started. In the first budget after that, Rs 40,000 crore was sanctioned for MNREGA of the total budget of Rs 10 lakh crores. Then a loan waiver worth Rs 70,000 crore was given to farmers across the country. Interestingly, that was the time when the first and the last time MSP of crops was increased from 28 per cent to 50 per cent in a year. He almost reached the recommendation. However, after the UPA II government came to power, things took a backseat, as everyone started raising objections to the increase in MSP, citing this would lead to inflation. Then gradually distress among farmers started growing again. The BJP made this their election agenda and raised slogans like ‘Mare Jawan.. Mare kisaan’.” He continued, “In 2014, the NDA came to power, and almost within a year, they submitted an affidavit in the Supreme Court stating they could not raise the price like this; it would adversely affect the economy. Modi has not fulfilled his promises. Farmers have been deceived for the past 10 years. It was only after they lost power in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan that they introduced PM Kisan Samman Nidhi. Now, this election they are not even mentioning increasing MSP.” Jawandhia remarked that the region lacks job opportunities due to the stagnant growth in industries. Farming remains the primary option for livelihood. “Many are hesitant to marry boys involved in farming these days. Coupled with poverty, the challenges for farmers are only escalating,” he added. 2005Year Kalavati’s husband ended his life
19 April,2024 06:53 AM IST | Yavatmal | Dipti SinghADVERTISEMENT
