A story from today’s Indian Express: http://www.indianexpress.com/story/24797.html talks about a man Ramesh Arnalkar, a trader from Pune, who is giving out a brand new tractor to small land-owners in Maharashtra’s suicide belt, free of cost to help them till their land, and thus start earning from it. While returning with his wife, Shalini, from a pilgrimage, the Arnalkars, made made up their mind to do something for the farmers. Shalini, put in her personal savings of Rs.50,000 for the cause.
The tractor mission has already reached 50-odd farmers from the Alandi region in Maharashtra. These farmers have to only pay for the Diesel and the driver’s daily salary, which, both including comes to about Rs.150/- per day. Compare this with the cost of hiring a tractor from large land owners – upto Rs.3000/- per day, which was absolutely impossible for these small landowners with 1 – 3 acres of land typically.
We, at Srijan Foundation will surely send some money to the Arnalkars. Could we help them raise funds for another tractor? hmmmm… possible surely!
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