In 2006-08, Maharashtra saw 12, 493 farm suicides. That is 85 per cent higher than the 6,745 suicides it recorded during 1997-1999. And the worst three-year period for any State, any time. The loan waiver year of 2008 saw 16,196 farm suicides in the country, according to the National Crime Records Bureau. Compared to 2007, that’s a fall of just 436. As economist Professor K. Nagaraj who has worked in-depth on...

Farmers in Maharashtra revive 120 varieties of local crops   Dark brown seeds pointed at both ends resemble the kind of wild seeds growing just anywhere that children would collect to play with. Only, this seed is one of the rare and nutritious foods losing out to the rush for market food. To the Mahadeo Koli and Thakar tribals in the rain-shadow areas of Sahyadri hills, this millet is known as batu...

It was alleged that he spent money on newspaper reports in his favour and did not account for this expenditure  The Election Commission has sought “comments” from Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan on allegations that he spent money on “paid news” in his favour in local newspapers and he did not account for this expenditure in his election accounts. Mr. Chavan, who was elected from Bhokar in Nanded district, has been...

Continuing with its campaign against “paid news,” the Editors Guild of India has asked the Election Commission (EC) to take strong action against politicians and mediapersons who violate the disclosure norms of election expenditure with regard to media publicity. Members of the Guild met Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Navin Chawla and his colleagues on Friday and submitted a memorandum articulating the demand while expressing concern over the “paid news phenomenon.” They...

Over two-thirds in ‘suicide belt’ of five States, more than one-fifth in Maharashtra  There were at least 16,196 farmers’ suicides in India in 2008, bringing the total since 1997 to 199,132, according to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). The share of the Big 5 States or ‘suicide belt’ in 2008 — Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh — remained very high at 10,797, or 66.6 per cent...