Farmers' suicides: Govt to conduct survey

New Delhi, Mar 9: The issue of farmers' suicides in different parts of the country today prompted Rajya Sabha Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, who himself hails from an agricultural background, to intervene during Question Hour with his useful suggestions.

He directed Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar to conduct a survey of private money lenders whose ever increasing debt on farmers was one of the main reasons of their resorting to the extreme step of ending their lives.

Mr Shekhawat was responding to a questioner's remark that extending relief packages alone was not solving the problem as farmers were still in debt after paying several times more than the principal amount borrowed.

The member wanted to know what amount of village lenders' money was due on farmers. Mr Shekhawat remarked to Mr Pawar that the suggestion was good and directed his Ministry to conduct a survey to find this out and also identify the people engaged in money lending.

''This will solve the problem,'' he said. Mr Pawar said the government will take steps to conduct such a survey.

He said according to various studies conducted by the government, crop failure and heavy indebtedness to private money lenders and financial institutions were the main reason of farmers' suicides.

Admitting that at present only 40 per cent of farmers could avail themselves of farm credit while 60 per cent were left out, the Union Agriculture Minister stressed the need for increasing the net to cover the maximum number of farmers.

He said the Centre had taken a decision to double the amount of farm credit from Rs 1,75000 crore to Rs 2,20,000 crore this year.

Responding to supplementary, Mr Pawar also admitted that credit disbursal to tribal farmers was very low and said steps should be taken to increase it.

At this, the Chairman told the questioner that she should have pointed out to the main problem that tribal farmers do not have land titles.

The Agriculture Minister also said there was a need to increase the irrigated land area, as at present 60 per cent of the agricultural land was rainfed.

Replying to a Member's remarks that a national agricultural policy was needed, he said the Framers Commission headed by Dr M S Swaminathan had submitted its report and the Government would soon come out with the final decision on vital issues facing the sector after consulting various ministries involved.

UNI