Over 5,000 farmer suicides in last two years: Govt

Even as the debate rages in Maharashtra over the farm loan waiver scheme, the state government has admitted that over 5,000 farmers committed suicide in the last two years. Out of these, 721 suicides were between March 1 and May 31 this year.

This was stated in a written reply by revenue minister Chandrakant Patil to a question by Pankaj Bhujbal (NCP - Nandgaon) in the state legislative assembly on Thursday. "In the last two years, a total of 5,067 farmers committed suicide due to various reasons. Similarly, in the March 1, 2017 to May 31, 2017, period, 721 farmers ended their lives," he added.