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Price Rise Videos
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VOICE OF FARMERS
In Delhi mango sells at Rs. 80. There (in Bihar) most famous mango – dudhiya- you can get at Rs.5/Kg in market, others like bomai, adipatta gets similar rate. Delhites say they cant get vegetables like tori, parwal here, get in small domination of 250gm, there you can get at Rs. 2 to Rs 1.50/Kg. Cauliflower is Rs. 3/Kg to Rs. 2/Kg- farmers cut them and sell at whatever price (that is being offered in the market)
Most important, farmer doesn’t get appropriate value for anything- Government should look into this. The way value of all other things (inputs) is increasing – fertiliser, water, electricity: value of his produce has not increased.
When farmer gets encouraged, cultivates more- nation gains. You cannot remain alive by eating Rupee, have to eat rice only!
Market are Imperfect, despite the absence of much feared FDI in retail market
The Farmer is forced to sell fruits and vegetables at low price in the market & is not the real beneficiary of the price rise of fruits & vegetables, what stops him from selling his produce directly to consumers here in Delhi?
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Voices of few farmers from Bihar: How to take it to the market?
What should be done: Our (we should be able to take) grain, vegetable, can be taken where ever we want- with no tax, no police harassment. Police – remove your basket, will not allow you to keep here there, get booking this way, this & that. Big hassle. Suppose we bring vegetable from Bihar.. It will not be fresh (req) cold storage, (if there is) AC coach for vegetable, (they) will remain fresh. These people, Police, GRP take money (fromm us) & trouble us – how are you taking this...this is reason why we are not taking it to more than one stoppage. Cannot take in our district – this is the system.
Special AC coaches in railways are reserved for farmer’s produce: If they give this, then it will be very convenient for us to supply, in every train if 2 coaches are reserved for farmer’s produce. But (it should not be) for traders, farmers give their address & on that they get preference (supply of products through AC coach)- only then farmer will benefit.
Infrastructural bottlenecks, avoidable obstacles.
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Voices of few farmers from Bihar: Problem of Electricity
On Supply: Electricity comes 2.4.hr, many times not at all, comes at night. You asked about electricity, I would say of 24 hrs, only 2 hrs in 3 days. There is no electricity
On Farmers taking illegal connection & not paying for usage: both are correct, now look what farmers think- you don’t give electricity, why should we pay for installation of wire, pole or electricity? You give electricity for 2 hrs, ask money for 24 hrs. Even here, the official takes bribe. Of Rs. 50 payment, he takes away Rs. 20. For example, your payment for domestic line is Rs. 100 or Rs. 85/month. In 30 days how many hours does electricity come- 30*2=60 hrs, but how many hrs are there in 30 days- 720 hrs. You want to take payment of 720 hrs for 60 hrs? Provide electricity, farmer will be willing to pay advance. Diesel is expensive but when we buy, give immediate payment, why won’t we give to electricity? We don’t pay because no electricity, cannot run our motors...There is another reason with electricity. You want electric line, go to dept, give application, and suppose estimate is Rs 3000. Where will rest of money go? Do I have any receipt? So people think for Rs. 1000 he is asking Rs. 4000; from where to give him Rs. 4000? Use electricity by hook (illegal connection) instead. And when official comes, we’ll open it.
Electricity supply is erratic & bribery rampant: farmers forced to get illegal electricity connections
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Is Price Rise also affecting Education of kids? Voice of a small farmer who is also a folk painter in Bihar
Price rise...earlier we used to survive in Rs. 4000-Rs. 5000, now Rs. 10,000 is also less for salt and roti. Price of potato, sugar, pulse has increased. When we grow in our farms & go to sell, we get negligible price; at that time due to need of money, I have to sell it and when I go to buy, I can’t afford due to price rise. Condition of government school is very bad, especially in our village. “Khichadi” scheme (Mid-Day meal) has been initiated by government- which has spoilt education, our kids, atmosphere of our village- who will be secretary..bandarbat (distribution wrangled over) – chief, master & sarpanch & guardians who are powerful people of village- limited to them. For kid- less concerned with education, more with khichadi, in village people don’t like to get kids education in government school...our condition is such that cannot afford to send kid to private school.
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Voice of a farmer from Rajasthan: understands ongoing Greed Game on domestic level, demands Pension
Government policies are limited on paper (not) practical. I have experienced govt policies are unstable, policies implementation low, more on paper. Every government employee gets pension but farmer. It means army personnel & this, serve the country, does it mean that the farmer destroys the country? Why no pension for him? There should be pension for farmer or else there should not be for anyone. Do a survey & you yourself will find that only smaller farmer & labourer is poor in this country- no one else is poor.
I have 10-11 acres of land but still I can’t survive as input expenses are heavy- cultivation of wheat..Don’t get proper price – Rs. 1000-1200/quintal, costs too high. In one acre, 35-40 man (1Man=approx 37 Kg) costs too much & if natural calamity arises- cold, hail storm..Insurance is very important for crop & if natural calamity arises proper relief should be given from govt but they give minimum relief, implementation is just on papers. State of farmers is very bad in country.
In conclusion, in India, telling you my experience of Rajasthan, where ever we go not good behaviour towards us (farmers). Don’t get price on time, today our any product is selling at half the rate, after two months rate increases. The policies towards farmers wrong.
What he didn't tell on camera:
At the end of conversation, he (name withheld) expressed deep unhappiness over dowry system due to which he will soon have to sell majority of his land (has 4 daughters who are studying). Imagine the prevailing rigidities, he didn’t hesitate to criticise governmental policies on camera, but asked us to switch off the camera before he went on to criticise rigid social structure in India.