By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net
Bhopal: Dr.M. S. Swaminathan, who has submitted his report as Chairman of National Commission for Farmers, today visited Pandharkawada in Vidarbha region and discussed the problems of farm widows.
The meeting was organized specially to understand the problems faced by farm widows as M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation has opened the center for empowerment and training of farm widows of Vidarbha agrarian
crisis.
Mrs. Meena Swaminathan, wife Dr. Swaminathan, informed the widows that this project will look into aspects of right of land, sustainable farming and credit facility by uniting the widows in small groups. Yavatmal district has got more than 1000 farm widows in the recent agrarian crisis.
This meeting was arranged by Kishor Tiwari, president of Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti, (VJAS), who is working for rehabilitation of Vidarbha farm widows.
“We want to save these helpless farm widows who are victims of wrong policies of govt,” Tiwari informed today.
Earlier, Pandharkawada Municipal Council president Anil Tiwari fecilitated Dr. Swaminathan and presented him “Vidarbha Mitra” award to honor him as he has been given “Lal Bahadur Shastri award” by the Indian Govt. and nominated to Rajya Sabha as member of Parliament.
Replying to the felicitation Dr. Swaminathan said the award “Vidarbha Mitra” is more important to me than all the awards I received earlier. “In fact, I am disturbed by the ongoing farm suicide of Vidarbha armers. Let us stop this sad part of history”, he urged the gathering.
Senior farm activist Vijay Jawandhia presided over the function.”Dr. Swaminathan is true friend of Vidarbha as he is fighting for the cause of Vidarbha cotton farmers,” Jawandhia informed the people at the function. ([email protected])