930 suicidal cases of farmers in vidarbha in 5 years- Pathak

Nagpur, June 27 (UNI) Around 1603 suicide cases of farmers were registered in six districts in Vidarbha during the last five years, of which 534 were alone in Yavatmal district, Rural development and information and publicity chief secretary Jairaj Pathak has said.

Giving the statistic about the farmers' suicides in the region at a press conference here yesterday, he said 930 of the 1603 suicide cases were proved to be eligible for financial assistance.

297 of the 930 farmers who were declared eligible were alone from the Yavatmal district, he said.

Mr Pathak said the provision of Rs 110 crores have been made by the government to provide succour to those families of the farmers who committed suicide and till June 23 the first instalment of financial relief of Rs 13.75 lakhs was disbursed among them.

A meeting of officials of the state government and district authorities in Vidarbha was held by State Chief Secretary D K Shankaran to review the situation in the region in the view of the proposed two-day tour of Prime Minister Manmohan singh next month.

He said during his tour, the prime minister will take review of implementation of Central Government's schemes meant for rural development. Dr Manmohan Singh would also review as to why the suicide cases of farmers have been increasing even after the Government schemes are being implemented in rural areas, he added.

UNI NNG SK VP0425