The Nagpur-based Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti has reported 21 more suicides of debt ridden cotton cultivators in Vidarbha in the past three days, taking the toll this year to 595.
The current spate of suicides was attributed by the VJAS president Kishor Tiwari to recent heavy rains, which damaged the cash crop in the region. In many cases, the sowing was washed away in the rains, but the local banks refused to give fresh loans for resowing as they had failed to repay their dues.
The VJAS is demanding complete loan waiver, restoration of advance bonus under the state government’s Cotton Monopoly Procurement Scheme, increase in the guarantee price to Rs 2,500 per quintal of cotton along with food security and free health care.
Mr Tiwari said the rural economy in Vidarbha collapsed after the introduction of Bt cotton and subsequent withdrawal of advance bonus under the monopoly scheme.
Meanwhile, an MPCC report on suicides has sought to blame the Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar. The report came as a surprise as the state government officially refuses to acknowledge the cause of suicides being “debt”.