Since the beginning of December last, 220 tenant farmers in the state have committed suicide or died of shock, crushed by mounting debts and loss of crops. Overall, the farmer death toll stands at a staggering 350-400. Though the fickle weather wreaked havoc, experts believe it's only partly to blame as several other factors have worked against the farming community. While economic expansion continues to bypass the farming community leaving...
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Speculators at work by Alok Ray
If the price rise is due to production shortfall, how does one explain the near doubling of the price within a few days? The sharply rising onion prices have raised the suspicion that speculators are manipulating a shortage situation. First, a few facts. In retail markets, onion prices have soared from Rs 10-11 per kg in June to as high as Rs 70-80 on Dec 21. Even more significantly, prices zoomed by...
More »Farmers suffer as MIddlemen call the shots by Manu Aiyappa
Be it a bumper or lean season __ life for Karnataka's farmers remains unchanged as they are exploited by MIddlemen. While last week came as a boon to onion farmers as prices skyrocketed in an unprecedented manner, it all came to an end on Wednesday following the government's decision to stop exports until January 15 to contain the rates here, resulting in a sudden drop in per quintal rates and sending...
More »Land to be acquired only with the consent of farmers in Gujarat by Manas Dasgupta
In a bid to encourage farmers to part with their land for industrial development, the Gujarat government has formulated a new land acquisition policy to make them partners in the development. Announcing this, Minister of State for Industries Saurabh Patel said the State-owned Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) henceforth would acquire land only with the “consent” of the concerned farmers, pay them at the prevailing market price, and give them a...
More »Labourers selling MGNREGA cheques in Jharkhand: official
In the absence of adequate banking services in rural areas in Jharkhand, some labourers sell their MGNREGA cheques to “MIddlemen” for a discount to get the money on the spot, a top official suggested on Wednesday. “Recently I went to Chatra and learnt that a MGNREGA labourer had sold his Rs. 100 cheque to get Rs. 70,” state Chief Secretary Ashok Kumar Singh said at a programme in presence of RBI...
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