3,300 farmers committed suicide in 2015, but Maha govt

Congress today accused Maharashtra government of "disrespecting" farmers by not agreeing to the opposition's demand for a complete loan waiver even as it claimed that around 3,300 agriculturists have committed suicide this year.
The opposition parties comprising Congress, NCP and others will meet on Monday to chalk out their strategy to be followed in the Legislature for next week.
"The Congress, NCP and their allies will meet on December 14 to discuss the future course of action as the BJP-Shiv Sena government is insensitive towards distressed farmers and wants only discussion (..Not action)," the Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil (Congress) told reporters.

The combined opposition has stalled the functioning of both Houses of Legislature for five consecutive days since beginning of the winter session over their demand for a complete loan waiver for the farmers affected by drought.
Vikhe Patil said their demand for the loan waiver fell on deaf ears as government has shown "utter disrespect towards farmers".
"Number of suicides by farmers is on the rise. This year the figure has reached almost 3,300 as against 2,900 last year," he said.

To a question, Vikhe Patil said, "If the government feels that the crop loan waiver (announced by the UPA government in 2008) had only benefited banks then it should directly deposit the amount (after announcing complete crop loan waiver) in bank account of farmers".

"If state government feels that the Congress and NCP had committed any wrong in this regard, it is free to correct it, and pay directly to farmers," he added.
The opposition leader also noted that the overall yield of cotton and soybean have fallen drastically this year.
"From few quintal in the past, it (the yield) has dropped to a few kgs," the Congress leader added.