Over 1800 farmer suicides in Maharashtra this year

New Delhi, Dec 15: A total of 1,843 farmers have committed suicide in Maharashtra upto October 2006, Rajya Sabha was informed today.

Answering Mr Dilip Singh Judev, Minister of State for Agriculture Kanti Lal Bhuria, in his written reply, said the death toll in Andhra Pradesh which was 1126 in 2004-06, had come down with the state recording 92 deaths in 2006-07 upto November. These figures have been reported by state governments.

About the help extended by the states to the families of the victims, the minister said the Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka were giving Rs 100,000 to the families of victims while it was Rs 50,000 in Kerala towards liquidation of debts.

The Centre had taken a comprehensive credit policy in the Union Budget where the farmers will receive short term credits at seven per cent with an upper limit of Rs 300,000 on principal amount.

Banks had been advised to waive margin/security requriements for loans upto Rs 50,000. The Government had approved a rehabilitation package for 31 suicide prone districts of four southern states involving a total amount of Rs 16,978 crores.

To a question on flood damage in 2006, he said the land under crops affectd was 17.36 lakh in Rajasthan, 12.59 lakh hectares in Maharashtra, and 7.47 lakh in Gujarat.

UNI