Reading Comprehension Test - 7

All of the following can be inferred from the given passage, EXCEPT

Passage:
The pension regulatory authority of India has come out with a new proposal that could lead to an increase in the annuity for the existing as well as new investors in the various pension plans. As per the conditions laid out in a new code of conduct for the annuity providers, the offer document has to include quotations of the range in which the annuity is currently being provided in the market by all the pension funds service providers. Once the potential buyers know the annuity yield spread, they would be motivated to shop around for the best plans available. Another step in this direction is to make it mandatory for the annuity providers to daily publish, both on their website and in at least one leading newspaper, their annual yield for a policy that is ten year old, and has a corpus of a hundred thousand rupees. This will allow the policy holders to compare yields across the spectrum of policy providers.
The devil in the detail stems from the fact that pension eligibility does not work on the same line as the sum assured for life insurance purposes. Many people, particularly those with chronic and lifestyle disease/s, and a high-risk lifestyle, have lesser life expectancy than people with otherwise healthy lifestyles. However, fewer than five percent of customers who bought pension plans more than a decade ago, and are eligible for higher payments, actually get them. An opinion that is increasingly being echoed in the consumer protection communities is that all customers should be allowed to ‘port’, i.e. transfer their policies to other service providers, if they desire so. The law can be enacted, but for the benefits to accrue, not only do the customers need to be more aware, but also, the regulators need to do more to force customers to have a hard look at their retirement kitties.

What role does the first paragraph play in the given passage?

Passage:
The pension regulatory authority of India has come out with a new proposal that could lead to an increase in the annuity for the existing as well as new investors in the various pension plans. As per the conditions laid out in a new code of conduct for the annuity providers, the offer document has to include quotations of the range in which the annuity is currently being provided in the market by all the pension funds service providers. Once the potential buyers know the annuity yield spread, they would be motivated to shop around for the best plans available. Another step in this direction is to make it mandatory for the annuity providers to daily publish, both on their website and in at least one leading newspaper, their annual yield for a policy that is ten year old, and has a corpus of a hundred thousand rupees. This will allow the policy holders to compare yields across the spectrum of policy providers.
The devil in the detail stems from the fact that pension eligibility does not work on the same line as the sum assured for life insurance purposes. Many people, particularly those with chronic and lifestyle disease/s, and a high-risk lifestyle, have lesser life expectancy than people with otherwise healthy lifestyles. However, fewer than five percent of customers who bought pension plans more than a decade ago, and are eligible for higher payments, actually get them. An opinion that is increasingly being echoed in the consumer protection communities is that all customers should be allowed to ‘port’, i.e. transfer their policies to other service providers, if they desire so. The law can be enacted, but for the benefits to accrue, not only do the customers need to be more aware, but also, the regulators need to do more to force customers to have a hard look at their retirement kitties.

Which of the following factors gave an impetus to the resurgence of language newspaper?
(I) Indian Independence in 1947
(II) The improvement in size, circulation and content
(III) Their becoming the mouthpiece of the ruling party in power

Directions: Read the following passages and answer the question that follows:

PASSAGE – II

Any survey of the Indian press cannot but reflect the different stages of growth and development that Indian democracy has gone through since independence. When freedom came, the press was proud of its role, as the bulk of the fraternity had actively participated or contributed to the awakening of the people through different phases of the struggle against foreign rule. The press, particularly those owned by the Indians, served as an auxiliary of the freedom struggle. With each phase of the national movement, it moved forward and faced the consequences for doing so.

The phenomenal expansion of the language press was mainly due to two reasons: political and technological. An overwhelming majority of the language press had grown up along with the struggle for independence, as its active organ. The political leaders, on their part, grew up into effective communicators in the freedom struggle. When many of the leaders of the freedom struggle days took over the reins of administration, it was but natural that the leaders of the newly-recognized State Governments should try their best to establish a rapport with the press, particularly the language press of the region.

This shift in the press focus to the politics of the regional or state level has also had an effect on the content of the newspapers. One of the features of our national press during the freedom struggle was the extraordinary attention to what is called foreign news as distinct from domestic news. The ownership pattern of the press has undergone striking changes in the last 60 years. At the time of Independence, most of the Indian language newspapers which participated in the freedom struggle or stood by it were poorly financed, with primitive printing arrangements.

After Independence, two developments took place: first, the Nationalist Press, though materially weak, got a boost and the new political elite became aware of the power of the press in the running of the new edifice of freedom.The second development was that most of the British - owned newspaper establishments sold off their assets and overnight these papers became Indian - owned. The change in the pattern of ownership entailed new developments in the newspaper world. Earlier, the newspaper-owners were mostly Nationalists, with a sprinkling of them taking up a moderate, liberal approach. The rest were all ardent supporters of the British Raj.

Which of the following changes were rendered by the advent and development of the regional press?
(I) Change in the attention bestowed in the news presentation and comments on contemporary events.
(II) Concentration on regional or provincial politics.
(III) Change from Central to State politics.

Directions: Read the following passages and answer the question that follows:

PASSAGE – II

Any survey of the Indian press cannot but reflect the different stages of growth and development that Indian democracy has gone through since independence. When freedom came, the press was proud of its role, as the bulk of the fraternity had actively participated or contributed to the awakening of the people through different phases of the struggle against foreign rule. The press, particularly those owned by the Indians, served as an auxiliary of the freedom struggle. With each phase of the national movement, it moved forward and faced the consequences for doing so.

The phenomenal expansion of the language press was mainly due to two reasons: political and technological. An overwhelming majority of the language press had grown up along with the struggle for independence, as its active organ. The political leaders, on their part, grew up into effective communicators in the freedom struggle. When many of the leaders of the freedom struggle days took over the reins of administration, it was but natural that the leaders of the newly-recognized State Governments should try their best to establish a rapport with the press, particularly the language press of the region.

This shift in the press focus to the politics of the regional or state level has also had an effect on the content of the newspapers. One of the features of our national press during the freedom struggle was the extraordinary attention to what is called foreign news as distinct from domestic news. The ownership pattern of the press has undergone striking changes in the last 60 years. At the time of Independence, most of the Indian language newspapers which participated in the freedom struggle or stood by it were poorly financed, with primitive printing arrangements.

After Independence, two developments took place: first, the Nationalist Press, though materially weak, got a boost and the new political elite became aware of the power of the press in the running of the new edifice of freedom.The second development was that most of the British - owned newspaper establishments sold off their assets and overnight these papers became Indian - owned. The change in the pattern of ownership entailed new developments in the newspaper world. Earlier, the newspaper-owners were mostly Nationalists, with a sprinkling of them taking up a moderate, liberal approach. The rest were all ardent supporters of the British Raj.

Which among the following can be derived from the passage?
I. Crop failures due to spurious seeds and pesticides were primarily responsible for the suicides committed by the farmers.
II. The farmers who shifted from food crops to cash crops were the only ones who were not affected.
III. A low germination rate of seed added to the woes of the farmers.

Directions: Read the following passages and answer the question that follows:

PASSAGE – III

The farmer often goes by the dealer's advice on what products to buy. The dealer has emerged an `expert', because the others have gone, says Malla Reddy. The APRS leader points to over 2,800 vacancies in the Department of Agriculture.” Many of the farmers' suicides in the State have been largely debt driven which makes the seed dealer's role more of a problem. Some of those who took their lives did so because of both, huge debts and crop failures due to spurious seeds and pesticides. But there is little punishment for those selling fake seeds. The matter gets more complex given the clout the seed dealers have gained. And the alarming rise in the cost of inputs they control. Per acre costs have exploded since 1996.

Pesticide, ammonia phosphate, zinc – all these have more than doubled in cost. A farmer might buy most of these inputs from the same dealer. Other expenses, too, have risen. Tractors cost a lot more than manual work did. Those who left food crops to experiment with cash crops in this period pay still more. The 24 per cent interest that seed dealers tag on makes the burden worse. And with seed companies hawking a germination rate of only 65 per cent, farmers get even less value for money. Input costs are higher in coastal region where, too, suicides have been on. The use of high cost items such as fertilizers and pesticides is greatest in Andhra Pradesh. The All–India average for fertilizer consumption per hectare was 88 kg in 2001. In Andhra Pradesh it was almost 180 kg. It is even greater in the coastal region. Over use of fertilizer is a huge problem, says Malla Reddy of the APRS.

At the same time, he says tenant farmers faced massive increases in the cost of leasing land. Such tenants make up nearly 60 per cent of all farmers in many parts of the State, more so in the coastal region. From the late 1990s, they were asked by the landlords to pay (as lease cost) between 21 and 25 bags of paddy an acre each year. This, when their output was barely 30 bags an acre. So the tenant farmer is left with five bags of paddy and another three of black gram that he sows after paddy. And that is in a good year! The huge use of fertilizer has not helped much. But at the moment when input costs were so high and rewards so poor, says the Nalgonda ex–MLA, Narasimha Reddy, the banks stopped giving the farmer any credit. And output prices were crashing due to rigged and volatile markets. There was also zero investment in agriculture. This crisis was man–made. That was how the suicides began. Add drought and crop failure to that, says Reddy, and the suicides only got worse.

The unprecedented expansion of the language press was due to
(I) the political and technological reasons
(II) the effective communication of the political leaders on the freedom struggle
(III) the good use of the organic bond forged during the freedom struggle

Directions: Read the following passages and answer the question that follows:

PASSAGE – II

Any survey of the Indian press cannot but reflect the different stages of growth and development that Indian democracy has gone through since independence. When freedom came, the press was proud of its role, as the bulk of the fraternity had actively participated or contributed to the awakening of the people through different phases of the struggle against foreign rule. The press, particularly those owned by the Indians, served as an auxiliary of the freedom struggle. With each phase of the national movement, it moved forward and faced the consequences for doing so.

The phenomenal expansion of the language press was mainly due to two reasons: political and technological. An overwhelming majority of the language press had grown up along with the struggle for independence, as its active organ. The political leaders, on their part, grew up into effective communicators in the freedom struggle. When many of the leaders of the freedom struggle days took over the reins of administration, it was but natural that the leaders of the newly-recognized State Governments should try their best to establish a rapport with the press, particularly the language press of the region.

This shift in the press focus to the politics of the regional or state level has also had an effect on the content of the newspapers. One of the features of our national press during the freedom struggle was the extraordinary attention to what is called foreign news as distinct from domestic news. The ownership pattern of the press has undergone striking changes in the last 60 years. At the time of Independence, most of the Indian language newspapers which participated in the freedom struggle or stood by it were poorly financed, with primitive printing arrangements.

After Independence, two developments took place: first, the Nationalist Press, though materially weak, got a boost and the new political elite became aware of the power of the press in the running of the new edifice of freedom.The second development was that most of the British - owned newspaper establishments sold off their assets and overnight these papers became Indian - owned. The change in the pattern of ownership entailed new developments in the newspaper world. Earlier, the newspaper-owners were mostly Nationalists, with a sprinkling of them taking up a moderate, liberal approach. The rest were all ardent supporters of the British Raj.

The transformation that came to the media after independence was that
(I) the Nationalist Press got a boost and made its presence felt in the maintenance of the newly won freedom
(II) though weak in resources, yet the press enjoyed freedom of activity and independence they had never felt before
(III) new developments took place in the newspaper world

Directions: Read the following passages and answer the question that follows:

PASSAGE – II

Any survey of the Indian press cannot but reflect the different stages of growth and development that Indian democracy has gone through since independence. When freedom came, the press was proud of its role, as the bulk of the fraternity had actively participated or contributed to the awakening of the people through different phases of the struggle against foreign rule. The press, particularly those owned by the Indians, served as an auxiliary of the freedom struggle. With each phase of the national movement, it moved forward and faced the consequences for doing so.

The phenomenal expansion of the language press was mainly due to two reasons: political and technological. An overwhelming majority of the language press had grown up along with the struggle for independence, as its active organ. The political leaders, on their part, grew up into effective communicators in the freedom struggle. When many of the leaders of the freedom struggle days took over the reins of administration, it was but natural that the leaders of the newly-recognized State Governments should try their best to establish a rapport with the press, particularly the language press of the region.

This shift in the press focus to the politics of the regional or state level has also had an effect on the content of the newspapers. One of the features of our national press during the freedom struggle was the extraordinary attention to what is called foreign news as distinct from domestic news. The ownership pattern of the press has undergone striking changes in the last 60 years. At the time of Independence, most of the Indian language newspapers which participated in the freedom struggle or stood by it were poorly financed, with primitive printing arrangements.

After Independence, two developments took place: first, the Nationalist Press, though materially weak, got a boost and the new political elite became aware of the power of the press in the running of the new edifice of freedom.The second development was that most of the British - owned newspaper establishments sold off their assets and overnight these papers became Indian - owned. The change in the pattern of ownership entailed new developments in the newspaper world. Earlier, the newspaper-owners were mostly Nationalists, with a sprinkling of them taking up a moderate, liberal approach. The rest were all ardent supporters of the British Raj.

How does the passage proceed, as far as its construction is concerned?

Directions: Read the following passages and answer the question that follows:

PASSAGE – I

Words of warning are already being voiced. The incidence of infection with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) it causes could be set to explode in India and China, the world's two most populous countries. China and India stand on the brink of widespread epidemics, as HIV spreads from groups at high risk to the broader population, observed a recent report. The current low prevalence rates are deceptive. The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) puts the prevalence of HIV among adults in India at less than one per cent, compared to nine per cent in sub-Saharan Africa, currently the worst affected region in the world. On the other hand, India stands second only to South Africa in the number of HIV-infected people. Worse still, there are reports that HIV infections are spreading twice as fast in South Asia as in sub-Saharan Africa.

There are fears that India (and South Asia) could go the sub-Saharan way. India shares some of the same risk factors as Africa, including a similar pattern of health expenditure, an uneven health infrastructure and prevalent high risk sexual behaviour.

The African experience shows what high levels of HIV in a society mean in everyday terms. According to UNAIDS, average life expectancy in sub-Saharan Africa is now 47 years, when it would have been 62 years without AIDS. Loss of income and mounting medical expenses push HIV/AIDS affected families deeper into poverty, stripping assets from the already impoverished. As parents die, the care and upbringing of children, who might themselves be infected with HIV, become major social problems. By affecting those in the prime of their lives, HIV/AIDS has a severe impact on national economies. The rate of economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa is believed to have reduced by two to four per cent as a result of AIDS.

There is as yet no effective cure which can remove the virus entirely from the body of an infected person or a vaccine which can prevent infection. But as the Global HIV Prevention Working Group said in a recent report, a massive expansion of the HIV/AIDS epidemic was not inevitable and could be reversed if proven prevention techniques were used in combination and on a sufficient scale. In India, sexual contact is the primary route through which HIV spreads. Prevention requires awareness among the public of risky sexual behaviour combined with ways to avoid such risks. As in many other tradition-bound societies, open discussion of sexual issues is often problematic in India.

The myths and realities around sex and sexuality issues in India are similar to those that exist across the world. Young people should be encouraged and provided information to make informed choices to protect themselves from infection. Inadequate funding for AIDS prevention work is a global problem. The Global HIV Prevention Working Group estimated that the funding gap in Asia and the Pacific was about $1.48 billion. While what India currently invests on AIDS prevention is much less than needed, no estimate on the extent of this deficit seems readily available. Implementation of a comprehensive prevention package can more than halve the total number of HIV infections. One-third of this global reduction would benefit two countries — India and China. But the experts also warned that delayed implementation of the prevention package would lead to large reductions in the infections prevented. India has a window of opportunity — but it may not remain open for long.

The author would agree with which of the following?

1. India can learn a lot from the African experience.
2. open discussions of sexual issues is often problematic in tradition bound societies like India and China.
3. the amount India currently invests on AIDS prevention does not suffice the actual need.
4. the rate of economic growth of a country can decline as a result of AIDS.

Directions: Read the following passages and answer the question that follows:

PASSAGE – I

Words of warning are already being voiced. The incidence of infection with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) it causes could be set to explode in India and China, the world's two most populous countries. China and India stand on the brink of widespread epidemics, as HIV spreads from groups at high risk to the broader population, observed a recent report. The current low prevalence rates are deceptive. The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) puts the prevalence of HIV among adults in India at less than one per cent, compared to nine per cent in sub-Saharan Africa, currently the worst affected region in the world. On the other hand, India stands second only to South Africa in the number of HIV-infected people. Worse still, there are reports that HIV infections are spreading twice as fast in South Asia as in sub-Saharan Africa.

There are fears that India (and South Asia) could go the sub-Saharan way. India shares some of the same risk factors as Africa, including a similar pattern of health expenditure, an uneven health infrastructure and prevalent high risk sexual behaviour.

The African experience shows what high levels of HIV in a society mean in everyday terms. According to UNAIDS, average life expectancy in sub-Saharan Africa is now 47 years, when it would have been 62 years without AIDS. Loss of income and mounting medical expenses push HIV/AIDS affected families deeper into poverty, stripping assets from the already impoverished. As parents die, the care and upbringing of children, who might themselves be infected with HIV, become major social problems. By affecting those in the prime of their lives, HIV/AIDS has a severe impact on national economies. The rate of economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa is believed to have reduced by two to four per cent as a result of AIDS.

There is as yet no effective cure which can remove the virus entirely from the body of an infected person or a vaccine which can prevent infection. But as the Global HIV Prevention Working Group said in a recent report, a massive expansion of the HIV/AIDS epidemic was not inevitable and could be reversed if proven prevention techniques were used in combination and on a sufficient scale. In India, sexual contact is the primary route through which HIV spreads. Prevention requires awareness among the public of risky sexual behaviour combined with ways to avoid such risks. As in many other tradition-bound societies, open discussion of sexual issues is often problematic in India.

The myths and realities around sex and sexuality issues in India are similar to those that exist across the world. Young people should be encouraged and provided information to make informed choices to protect themselves from infection. Inadequate funding for AIDS prevention work is a global problem. The Global HIV Prevention Working Group estimated that the funding gap in Asia and the Pacific was about $1.48 billion. While what India currently invests on AIDS prevention is much less than needed, no estimate on the extent of this deficit seems readily available. Implementation of a comprehensive prevention package can more than halve the total number of HIV infections. One-third of this global reduction would benefit two countries — India and China. But the experts also warned that delayed implementation of the prevention package would lead to large reductions in the infections prevented. India has a window of opportunity — but it may not remain open for long.

What is the central idea of the passage?

Directions: Read the following passages and answer the question that follows:

PASSAGE – I

Words of warning are already being voiced. The incidence of infection with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) it causes could be set to explode in India and China, the world's two most populous countries. China and India stand on the brink of widespread epidemics, as HIV spreads from groups at high risk to the broader population, observed a recent report. The current low prevalence rates are deceptive. The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) puts the prevalence of HIV among adults in India at less than one per cent, compared to nine per cent in sub-Saharan Africa, currently the worst affected region in the world. On the other hand, India stands second only to South Africa in the number of HIV-infected people. Worse still, there are reports that HIV infections are spreading twice as fast in South Asia as in sub-Saharan Africa.

There are fears that India (and South Asia) could go the sub-Saharan way. India shares some of the same risk factors as Africa, including a similar pattern of health expenditure, an uneven health infrastructure and prevalent high risk sexual behaviour.

The African experience shows what high levels of HIV in a society mean in everyday terms. According to UNAIDS, average life expectancy in sub-Saharan Africa is now 47 years, when it would have been 62 years without AIDS. Loss of income and mounting medical expenses push HIV/AIDS affected families deeper into poverty, stripping assets from the already impoverished. As parents die, the care and upbringing of children, who might themselves be infected with HIV, become major social problems. By affecting those in the prime of their lives, HIV/AIDS has a severe impact on national economies. The rate of economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa is believed to have reduced by two to four per cent as a result of AIDS.

There is as yet no effective cure which can remove the virus entirely from the body of an infected person or a vaccine which can prevent infection. But as the Global HIV Prevention Working Group said in a recent report, a massive expansion of the HIV/AIDS epidemic was not inevitable and could be reversed if proven prevention techniques were used in combination and on a sufficient scale. In India, sexual contact is the primary route through which HIV spreads. Prevention requires awareness among the public of risky sexual behaviour combined with ways to avoid such risks. As in many other tradition-bound societies, open discussion of sexual issues is often problematic in India.

The myths and realities around sex and sexuality issues in India are similar to those that exist across the world. Young people should be encouraged and provided information to make informed choices to protect themselves from infection. Inadequate funding for AIDS prevention work is a global problem. The Global HIV Prevention Working Group estimated that the funding gap in Asia and the Pacific was about $1.48 billion. While what India currently invests on AIDS prevention is much less than needed, no estimate on the extent of this deficit seems readily available. Implementation of a comprehensive prevention package can more than halve the total number of HIV infections. One-third of this global reduction would benefit two countries — India and China. But the experts also warned that delayed implementation of the prevention package would lead to large reductions in the infections prevented. India has a window of opportunity — but it may not remain open for long.

Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?
I. High risk sexual behavior and uneven health infrastructures are risk factors similar to both Indian and Africa.
II. In India and China sexual contact is the primary route through which HIV spreads.
III. Increase in the level of HIV cases in society is inversely proportional to the average life expectancy.

Directions: Read the following passages and answer the question that follows:

PASSAGE – I

Words of warning are already being voiced. The incidence of infection with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) it causes could be set to explode in India and China, the world's two most populous countries. China and India stand on the brink of widespread epidemics, as HIV spreads from groups at high risk to the broader population, observed a recent report. The current low prevalence rates are deceptive. The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) puts the prevalence of HIV among adults in India at less than one per cent, compared to nine per cent in sub-Saharan Africa, currently the worst affected region in the world. On the other hand, India stands second only to South Africa in the number of HIV-infected people. Worse still, there are reports that HIV infections are spreading twice as fast in South Asia as in sub-Saharan Africa.

There are fears that India (and South Asia) could go the sub-Saharan way. India shares some of the same risk factors as Africa, including a similar pattern of health expenditure, an uneven health infrastructure and prevalent high risk sexual behaviour.

The African experience shows what high levels of HIV in a society mean in everyday terms. According to UNAIDS, average life expectancy in sub-Saharan Africa is now 47 years, when it would have been 62 years without AIDS. Loss of income and mounting medical expenses push HIV/AIDS affected families deeper into poverty, stripping assets from the already impoverished. As parents die, the care and upbringing of children, who might themselves be infected with HIV, become major social problems. By affecting those in the prime of their lives, HIV/AIDS has a severe impact on national economies. The rate of economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa is believed to have reduced by two to four per cent as a result of AIDS.

There is as yet no effective cure which can remove the virus entirely from the body of an infected person or a vaccine which can prevent infection. But as the Global HIV Prevention Working Group said in a recent report, a massive expansion of the HIV/AIDS epidemic was not inevitable and could be reversed if proven prevention techniques were used in combination and on a sufficient scale. In India, sexual contact is the primary route through which HIV spreads. Prevention requires awareness among the public of risky sexual behaviour combined with ways to avoid such risks. As in many other tradition-bound societies, open discussion of sexual issues is often problematic in India.

The myths and realities around sex and sexuality issues in India are similar to those that exist across the world. Young people should be encouraged and provided information to make informed choices to protect themselves from infection. Inadequate funding for AIDS prevention work is a global problem. The Global HIV Prevention Working Group estimated that the funding gap in Asia and the Pacific was about $1.48 billion. While what India currently invests on AIDS prevention is much less than needed, no estimate on the extent of this deficit seems readily available. Implementation of a comprehensive prevention package can more than halve the total number of HIV infections. One-third of this global reduction would benefit two countries — India and China. But the experts also warned that delayed implementation of the prevention package would lead to large reductions in the infections prevented. India has a window of opportunity — but it may not remain open for long.

All among the following can be derived from the passage except that

Directions: Read the following passages and answer the question that follows:

PASSAGE – III

The farmer often goes by the dealer's advice on what products to buy. The dealer has emerged an `expert', because the others have gone, says Malla Reddy. The APRS leader points to over 2,800 vacancies in the Department of Agriculture.” Many of the farmers' suicides in the State have been largely debt driven which makes the seed dealer's role more of a problem. Some of those who took their lives did so because of both, huge debts and crop failures due to spurious seeds and pesticides. But there is little punishment for those selling fake seeds. The matter gets more complex given the clout the seed dealers have gained. And the alarming rise in the cost of inputs they control. Per acre costs have exploded since 1996.

Pesticide, ammonia phosphate, zinc – all these have more than doubled in cost. A farmer might buy most of these inputs from the same dealer. Other expenses, too, have risen. Tractors cost a lot more than manual work did. Those who left food crops to experiment with cash crops in this period pay still more. The 24 per cent interest that seed dealers tag on makes the burden worse. And with seed companies hawking a germination rate of only 65 per cent, farmers get even less value for money. Input costs are higher in coastal region where, too, suicides have been on. The use of high cost items such as fertilizers and pesticides is greatest in Andhra Pradesh. The All–India average for fertilizer consumption per hectare was 88 kg in 2001. In Andhra Pradesh it was almost 180 kg. It is even greater in the coastal region. Over use of fertilizer is a huge problem, says Malla Reddy of the APRS.

At the same time, he says tenant farmers faced massive increases in the cost of leasing land. Such tenants make up nearly 60 per cent of all farmers in many parts of the State, more so in the coastal region. From the late 1990s, they were asked by the landlords to pay (as lease cost) between 21 and 25 bags of paddy an acre each year. This, when their output was barely 30 bags an acre. So the tenant farmer is left with five bags of paddy and another three of black gram that he sows after paddy. And that is in a good year! The huge use of fertilizer has not helped much. But at the moment when input costs were so high and rewards so poor, says the Nalgonda ex–MLA, Narasimha Reddy, the banks stopped giving the farmer any credit. And output prices were crashing due to rigged and volatile markets. There was also zero investment in agriculture. This crisis was man–made. That was how the suicides began. Add drought and crop failure to that, says Reddy, and the suicides only got worse.