Govt to hold review meet to discuss farmers' relief package

NAGPUR: Expressing deep concern over the unabated suicides by farmers in Vidarbha region, Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh has said a review meeting would be convened soon to discuss the shortcomings in the implemenation of the relief packages.

"We have taken a serious view of the fact that even after trying to provide relief through a special package by the state government during the winter session of the Assembly, as well as through Central assistance announced by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last month, farmers are still committing suicide," Deshmukh said on Sunday night.

Stating that there was no foolproof formula to check on such suicides, he said, "we are also looking at the bureaucratic lethargy in implementing in toto the relief measures meant for debt-ridden farmers".

He was, however, non-committal on the issue of complete waiving off the crop loan, as demanded by some parties.

Deshmukh said the United Progressive Alliance government was trying to engage non-governmental organisations in reaching the farmers.

If a daughter's marriage was bothering a farmer and forces him to take loan, the state government has initiated community wedding ceremonies and this year about 6500 marriages were performed during summer, he said.

But even this has failed to stop the suicides, he added.