The government will soon raise the compensation to Rs5 lakh for families of farmers ending their lives. The financial cover, likely to be rolled out in the first week of April, will also be extended to people cultivating leasehold lands, said agriculture minister Eknath Khadse in the assembly on Friday.
The government will soon raise the compensation to Rs5 lakh for families of farmers ending their lives. The financial cover, likely to be rolled out in the first week of April, will also be extended to people cultivating leasehold lands, said agriculture minister Eknath Khadse in the assembly on Friday.
Activists and farmers, however, said the government should instead focus on the bigger issue of bringing down the suicide cases. According to government data, 5,698 farmers have killed themselves since 2011 in rural Maharashtra.
"We're trying to increase the compensation package from Rs1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh through insurance cover. The government will pay the premium on behalf of the farmers. If everything goes well, we will be ready with the new package by first week of April," said Khadse.
Compensation apart, Khadse said, the government plans to provide free education to the children from such families. "We are planning to bring more non-irrigated land under irrigation. We have accepted recommendations of the Dr Narendra Jadhav Committee and are trying to tackle its root cause."
Khadse said there are thousands of people who are engaged in agriculture but do not own farmlands. He said the new package will be extended to the families of such people too.
Agriculture expert and farmer leader Vijay Jawandia said, "These are temporary solutions to a permanent problem. Before Lok Sabha polls, Narendra Modi had talked about increasing prices of agricultural products every year. If the state implements it, farmer suicides will come down."
Nanasaheb Patil, another farmer leader, said the government must ensure that the compensation is given the affected families without delay.
State to waive of Rs171cr loan
The state has decided to waive off loans taken by farmers from private money-lenders to the tune of Rs 171crore, announced CM Devendra Fadnavis in the legislative council. The move will benefit nearly 2.23 lakh farmers.
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