Bengaluru, Dec 27: As many as 3,515 farmers in Karnataka committed suicide between April 2013 and November 2017, out of which 2,525 were due to drought and farm failure, statistics provided by the State Agriculture Department said.
"3,515 farmers were reported to have committed suicide from April 2013 to November 2017, and from April 2008 to April 2012, as many as 1,125 farmers were reported to have committed suicide," it said.
Out of the 3,515 suicide cases reported, agriculture department accepted 2,525 cases which were due to drought and crop failure, the data said.
From April 2015 to April 2017, as many as 2,514 suicide cases were reported, of which 1,929 cases were accepted, it added.
From April 2017 to November 2017, when the state received sufficient rainfall, as many as 624 suicide cases were reported. Of these, 416 cases were accepted, it said.
Agriculture Director B Y Srinivas said that as many as 112 suicide cases were pending for the want of ratification by a state government panel since 2013.
"There are 105 pending cases this year till November, and seven cases the previous year," he said.
The highest number of suicides (1,483) were reported during 2015-16 and lowest (106) during 2013-14, Srinivas said.
"Sugarcane growers top the list of suicides, followed by cotton and paddy cultivators," he said.
The government has taken relief measures asking banks not to force farmers to repay their dues and turn their short and medium-term crop loans into long-term loans with waiver of interest, he added.
Agriculture Officer Kumaraswamy said the government has registered cases against private money lenders, who give loans at exorbitant interest rates, ranging from 30 to 40 per cent.
"As many as 1,332 cases have been registered against money lenders, of which 585 have been arrested in last three years," he said.
The government has also hiked compensation from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh to families of farmers who committed suicide.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had in 2015 made the announcement before a public rally in Ranebennur taluk.
Welcoming the move Dr Arathi Krishna told coastaldigst.com that Indians stranded in any foreign country can utilize this facility. "Initially, I was approached by Mr Zakaria and Mr Sheik who wanted chartered flights to help their employees fly back to India. I asked them to write to the Indian Ambassador in Saudi Araia Mr Ausaf Sayeed. Then I requested the ambassador to forward the request to Joint Secretary Dr Nagendra Prasad, who is in charge of gulf division in the Ministry of External Affairs, and then to Secretary on charge of Gulf and then I requested Secretary of Economic Relations Mr T S Tirumurti who was also in charge of Gulf to follow this up," she said.
Comments
Modi ji worked and still works for poor people. He curbed lots of black money.. Manmohan and sonia did nothing
It is not centre govt duty to solve only karnataka matter
Cong govt is total failure.. CM should resign
How much amount centre govt given even after KN govt reported everything to centre??? Nothing
@Kumar..
Feku ji told he might sold tea and he didnt sell his country. He works for poor people..
Modi govt ready to wave loan for international fraud Mallya
Modi govt ready to give acres of land for cheddi fake swami Sadguru
Modi govt NOT ready to wave poor farmers' loans
Shocking statistics.. Did govt do anything to prevent farmers' suicides
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