The Hindu Business Line : 1,289 cases of farmers suicides reported in AP: Minister

AS many as 1,289 cases of suicides by farmers were reported ever since the Congress party came to power in the State in May, 2004. Of these, 679 were found to be due the distress caused by failure of crops and mounting debts, according to the State Agriculture Minister, Mr N. Raghuveera Reddy.

The Minister told newspersons here on Thursday that the State Government had so far paid Rs 1.5 lakh each as compensation to the family members of 565 farmers who had committed suicide in the last seven months.

The Government had also paid compensation to the family members of 1,276 out of the 1,351 farmers who reportedly ended their lives unable to face the agrarian crisis during the six-year period from July 1, 1998 to May 14, 2004.

He said that the State Government had recognised the magnitude of the agrarian crisis and, among other things, constituted a Commission on Farmers Welfare to study the reasons and suggest measures for improving the overall agricultural activities. The Government was currently examining the committee's report.

Meanwhile, the Minister said, the Government had initiated several measures for the development of the agricultural sector, particularly for raising the income levels of farmers. Apart from taking steps to improve the credit flow to the farm sector, measures were being taken to provide effective crop insurance cover, to accelerate mechanisation of agricultural activities and popularise appropriate technologies so as to reduce the cost of production.On a pilot basis in three districts during Kharif 2005, the Government would take up the programme of making village as a unit for providing crop insurance coverage, he said.

A comprehensive Bio-fertiliser Bill was also formulated to induce farmers to use eco-friendly fertilisers. The Government had also provided an additional amount of Rs 5 crore to the Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University for strengthening the need-based agricultural research.

The other initiatives of the Government included the proposal to establish a veterinary university at Tirupati, an oil palm processing unit at Ashwaraopet and a DNA finger print laboratory. The Minister said that crops in an extent of 617 hectares belonging to 578 farmers in Krishna, Prakasam, Nellore and Guntur districts were affected by tsunami.

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1,289 cases of farmers suicides reported in AP: Minister