Photographs: Jayanta Dey/Reuters
As many as 278 farmers committed suicides in the first 10 months of 2010 due to agrarian crisis, with Maharashtra and Karnataka reporting the maximum number of such incidents, the Parliament was informed.
In the whole of 2009, 897 farmers had committed suicides across the country.
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In the whole of 2009, 897 farmers had committed suicides across the country.
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Rs 19k cr relief no relief? Maharashtra, K'taka top farmer suicide table
Photographs: Desmond Boylan/Reuters
Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar in a written reply in the Lok Sabha said Maharashtra witnessed 234 farmers suicides in the first eight months of 2010. In the entire 2009, 503 farmers in the state had ended their lives due to agrarian crisis.
In Karnataka, 22 cases of farmer suicides were reported as on October 30 last year, while the number of such incidents was 114 in 2009.
In Andhra Pradesh, 18 such incidents were reported till October 2010. In the previous year 248 farmers had ended their lives.
In Karnataka, 22 cases of farmer suicides were reported as on October 30 last year, while the number of such incidents was 114 in 2009.
In Andhra Pradesh, 18 such incidents were reported till October 2010. In the previous year 248 farmers had ended their lives.
Rs 19k cr relief no relief? Maharashtra, K'taka top farmer suicide table
Photographs: Reuters
On steps taken to prevent such incidents, Pawar said the government has released a rehabilitation package of Rs 19,163.91 crore since 2006 covering 31 districts in four states -- Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Maharashtra, to address the problem of agrarian distress.
The period for implementation of the non-credit components of the package was subsequently extended as well (by two more years) up to September 30, 2011.
The period for implementation of the non-credit components of the package was subsequently extended as well (by two more years) up to September 30, 2011.
Rs 19k cr relief no relief? Maharashtra, K'taka top farmer suicide table
Photographs: Jitendra Prakash/Reuters
Pawar further said that the interest subvention for timely repayment of crop loan up to Rs 3 lakh was enhanced from one per cent to two per cent for the year 2010-11, thereby reducing the effective rate of interest for such farmers who repay their crop loan in time to five per cent per annum.
The government also implemented the agricultural debt waiver and debt relief scheme, 2008, benefiting about 3.69 crore farmers involving an estimated amount of Rs 65,318.33 crore, Pawar added
The government also implemented the agricultural debt waiver and debt relief scheme, 2008, benefiting about 3.69 crore farmers involving an estimated amount of Rs 65,318.33 crore, Pawar added
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