According to figures provided to Parliament by Sharad Pawar, 1,720 farmers committed suicide in Maharashtra during 2007-09, followed by 1,142 in Andhra Pradesh and 434 in Karnataka.
As many as 3,450 farmers committed suicides in the country in the last three years with Maharashtra, the home state of food and agriculture minister Sharad Pawar, accounting for maximum number of deaths.
According to figures provided to Parliament by Pawar, 1,720 farmers committed suicide in Maharashtra during 2007-09, followed by 1,142 in Andhra Pradesh and 434 in Karnataka.
Farmers suicides continued in 2010 as well, with six cases in the Vidharba region of Maharashtra, Pawar said answering questions in the Rajya Sabha.
However, a consolation was that as compared to 2008, the number of farmers driven to taking the extreme step came down
in 2009.
On an all-India basis, the number declined from 1,237 in 2008 to 840 in 2009. The drop in these deaths took place in all the major states where farmers commit suicides, mostly because of indebtedness.
Pawar said the government had approved a Rs 16,978 crore- package for four states besides a number of steps including
powering interest rate on crop loan.
"In order to ameliorate the condition of farmers in areas having comparatively higher incidence of suicides, the government has approved Rs 16,978 crore rehabilitation package for Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Kerala and Karnatka," he said.
Besides, the Maharashtra government has been implementing a special package for Vidarbha region, he said.
A Rs 7,266 crore comprehensive package for integrated development of Bundelkhand is underway, he said pointing out
that a slew of measures by government including Rs 65,000
crore debt-waiver for farmers have benefited them.
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