Central policy to check farmers suicides soon: Pawar

Kolhapur, Sep 24 (UNI) Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar today hinted that the Centre would announce, within fifteen days, a new policy to prevent suicide by farmers.

Talking to reporters at the tehsil town of Kagal in this district, Mr Pawar said studies have indicated that farmers are driven to commit suicide for a number of reasons like lack of irrigation facilities, indebtedness, low agricultural produce, damage to crops at times of natural calamities, and others.

Suicide by farmers were chiefly witnessed in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka, he said while indicating that the new Central policy could encompass provision of adequate waters to the farmers, provision of low-interest crops loans, waiver of interest on present loans, and provision of fresh loans.

Forty per cent of the loan amount share to farmers could come from NABARD while the Centre and the state governments could contribute 30 per cent each, Mr Pawar said. A decision in this regard is likely to be taken during a meeting, to be presided over by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in New Delhi on September 29.

''Dr Singh is of the view that farmers should receive crops loans at an interest rate of seven per cent. Farmers in Maharashtra will get crop loans at an interest of six per cent as the State Government has accepted to bear one per cent of the interest, he said.

Mr Pawar said that at present only 40 per cent farmers avail of crops loan benefits while remaining 60 per cent still borrow money from the private money lenders. The Centre wants to create awareness among the farmers so that the sitruation changes,'' he added.

Acknowledging that cooperative banks were not willing to provide crops loan at seven per cent interest rate as they are paying at a higher rate to their depositors, the agriculture minister said the Centre and the state government will work out a solution to ensure that cooperative banks do not have to suffer losses.

He assured that allocation for agriculture in the next Five-Year Plan will be raised as the Centre is committed to make the farmers globally competitive. Mr Pawar also said that farmers whose lands are acquired for Special Economic Zones should receive a good price for the same.

UNI BBK MAZ VD RS1955