Farmers' suicide: Telangana hikes ex-gratia from Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 6 lakh

The Telangana Government on Saturday announced a relief package of Rs. 6 lakh to the kin of farmers who had committed suicide, increasing it from Rs. 1.5 lakh that was fixed by the then combined Andhra Pradesh Government in June 2004.

The package was announed after five hours of deliberation by the Telangana cabinet on the issue of farmer suicides and agriculture crisis in districts across the state this kharif season. The four-fold hike in compensation will come into force with prospective effect on September 19.

The state cabinet, which had met yesterday, reviewed the situation arising from the spate of farmer suicides and decided to enhance the ex-gratia. Besides Rs 5 lakh, the government will provide Rs 1 lakh to clear the crop loans obtained from the banks, as one time settlement.

The Telangana Government has paid ex-gratia of Rs 1.5 lakh each to families of 141 farmers out of the 430 who had committed suicide during the last 15 months.