Mill Proposed to Combat Farmer Suicides in India

By Jim.Robinson|September 23, 2010

A group of alumni from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) have proposed the building of a spinning mill as a source of future employment in Maharashtra’s Yavatmal district, which is one of the areas hardest hit by farmer suicides. More than 5,000 farmers committed suicide in Maharashtra between 2005 and 2009, and an unknown number of others abandoned farming due to economic distress. The chronic misuse of agricultural chemicals is also thought to be a cause of the spate of suicides.

There currently are no cotton spinning mills in the Yavatmal area, so IIT hopes that the opening of a local factory will provide immediate employment opportunities, in addition to eventually creating ancillary businesses to support it.

The initiative is part of the IIT rural outreach program entitled “Reach Out for India.” There are more than 200,000 members in the alumni group, which hopes that its proposal to start a “mini-mill”–which would cost far less money than the typical, full-size facility–will make the proposal more likely to reach fruition.

(Story found in original format here.)

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Anonymous says:

September 26, 2011 at 3:59 pm

I wonder why do not you address the right cause of such big number of suicides. It’s well known, use of Bt cotton seed. One should watch a film made by French journalist and film maker Marie-Monique Robin, The World According to Monsanto.

whereas it is a wonderful idea to put up spinning plant in the Vidarbha area, a mini unit may not be viable as the overeads may not justify it. Moreover, it will be useless to put up a co-operative plant as the working and the efficency of such plants in Maharashtra are well known to require any details. It has to be a joint pvt/public venture to ensure efficiency and relief for the affected farmers.

Also it is wothwhile going in details to find out how the injudicious use of chemicals has resulted into the farmers’ suisides.

FARMERS MUST BE GUARANTEED A FAIR PRICE TO SURVIVE IN INDIA,GOVERNMENT SHOULD TAKE STEPS TO ENSURE A FAIR PRICE TO FARMERS ,MAY CONSIDER SUBSIDIES,IF INDIA IS TO REMAIN SECOND LARGEST PRODUCER AND EXPORTER OF COTTON,MAY BE THE CONSUMING COUNTRIES SHOULD COME FORWARD TO HELP AND ASSIST.

Availability of Bt Cotton technology with the help of several Indian companies & technology providers has given a posiitve boost to cotton producres and all associated with the sector. Appreciation of the same comes when one goes to the rural areas and sees the smile on the farmers who will swear by the benefits! All those who really love farmers need to continuosly work to ensure that farmers are not denied the fruits of innovation! I applaud the initiative taken by IIT and be happy to participate in such a novel cause!

December 22, 2011 at 1:44 am