406 farmers have committed suicide in K'taka in three yrs

Bangalore, June 27 (UNI) As many as 406 debt-ridden farmers have committed suicide in Karnataka during the last three years and the State Government has paid a solatium of over Rs 383 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased at the rate of Rs one lakh each, Agriculture Minister Bandeppa Kashempur informed the Legislative Council today.

Replying to a question raised by Congress member S M Anand, he said the Government was yet to pay ex-gratia to 23 bereaved families. Hassan district reported the highest number of such incidences, he added.

The Minister said the Government paid the compensation based on the recommendations of the Assistant Commissioners of the districts concerned.

Mr Anand alleged that while the Government was claiming that 406 farmers had taken the extreme step, it was actually over 566.

Congress member V S Ugrappa brought to the notice of the Chair that the written reply provided by the Minister in this regard had lots of discrepancies and contradicted with his statement. He demanded that the Government withdraw the written reply.

Intervening, Acting Council Chairman Sachidananda Khot instructed the Minister to provide correct figures and statistics to the House.

UNI MV GD GM1525