Dwindling cattle reason behind farmers suicides: Govindacharya

New Delhi, Nov 1 (UNI) The breakdown of the system of inter-dependence in the villages and the dwindling number of cattle stock in the country are the primary reasons for the rising number of farmers' suicides, Rashtriya Swabhiman Aandholan Chief and former BJP leader K N Govindacharya claimed.

The former BJP leader, who has been focussing on the problems concerning the poor in the country, said that the British initiated policies have had a telling effect on the country's agriculture where the states tended to concentrate on industrial production while remaining indifferent towards agriculture.

The man-cattle ratio, which was two cows for every individual in the year 1900, had came down drastically to 1:1 in 1950 basically due to slaughtering, mechanisation and chemicalisation of agriculture. The figure had further deteriorated resulting in one cow for every four human beings in 2000. In drought-affected Vidarbha, the figures were much worse at one head of cattle for every six human beings. The result was evident in the returns for the farmers which, in turn, was reflected in growing number of farmers suicides.

Mr Govindacharya said the doing away with mutal dependence had its effect on rising costs of inputs, access to markets and falling incomes. The new system had destroyed the avenue for getting supplementary incomes. In Bihar, the families sought solace from migrating its members to menial jobs like rikshaw pulling, but that was not enough to overcome their poverty.

He said the his organisation was working out short, medium and long term solutions to reverse the trend and to help the farmers in distress. The families of farmers have to be provided with education with the help of affluent social and religious institutions. The prospective suicidal families needed to be identified with the help of district authorities and take remedial measures to prevent future deaths. There has to be policy changes on the part of the government involving the farmers groups and organisations and ensure that subsidies reach the intended groups.

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