Click to play videoDhamangaon (Maharashtra): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh began his visit to the suicide valley with a relief package in tow but the question is whether it's coming a little too late. This year 750 cotton farmers have committed suicide in the state, 600 of them from Vidarbha alone.
"I crossed a distance of 300 km. But I could not talk to him (Prime Minister) personally as they didn't allow me inside," a farmer said.
He's one of the many who wanted to get an audience with the Prime Minister.
It's been a long wait for the people of Vidharba. And their plight forced Singh to undertake a special two-day visit to get a firsthand account of the crisis here.
Only 25 farmers managed to have a one-on-one with Singh, the others can do little but hope that their problem reaches his ears.
"I think he should ensure that the farmers get a fair price for their vegetables," a farmer said.
While another farmer complained of how he had not yet got the aid money that the Maharashtra government had promised him. "There are four members in my family and it is becoming very difficult to feed them," he said.
After his first session with the farmers here, Singh had some pointers including alternative means of income for them.
"There should be alternate means of livelihood for the farmers. We will promote and provide aid for farmers to do get other means of livelihood like animal husbandry," Singh said.
Singh visited Dhamangaon with Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar to discuss problems of suicide affected families.
After the meeting most farmers thought that Singh will come out with some relief package. But they don’t want just a one-time financial package this time, but a long-term plan.
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