Farmers suicides on the decline: Deshmukh

Mumbai, Feb 28 (UNI) Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh today said the percentage of suicides of debt-ridden farmers had come down and efforts were on to curb the trend completely.

Talking to reporters after releasing the manifesto for the Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections, scheduled to be held next month, Mr Deshmukh said a package had already been given and many other things were being done for the betterment of the farmers.

He said the government was also concentrating on the power sector to reduce load-shedding.

Maharashtra Pradesh Congress committee President Prabha Rau and manifesto committee president Rohidas Patil were also present on the occasion.

Ms Rau said former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had made efforts for the development of rural areas and the same was being implemented now. She said the manifesto contained many developmental schemes for the rural areas.

UNI