Rs 64 lakh disbursed to drought-hit since 2001

Rainfall figures in Vidarbha cause for concern

The Maharashtra government has disbursed Rs 64 lakh since 2001 to families where farmers have committed suicide due to harassment by lenders.

"Since 2001, while 200 agriculturists committed suicide, mostly from the Yevatmal, Amravati and other districts in the Vidarbha region, 64 of these farmers were found to have been induced to take the extreme step since they were debt ridden (owing to constant drought causing crop failures) as well as being repeatedly pestered for repayments of their outstanding liabilities by lending agencies as well as local moneylenders," a senior official said.

All these 64 deceased agriculturists' families were disbursed Rs one lakh each from the chief minister's relief fund, he added.

"Of the Rs one lakh, Rs 70,000 is deposited in a bank under the monthly income scheme while Rs 30,000 in cash is given to the family of the deceased," the official added.

"The criteria employed for selecting families that are issued this reimbursement include that the person who committed suicide must be a farmer. Second, he must be debt ridden and repeatedly pressurised by his creditors for repaying his outstanding liabilities. Once these criteria are established the disbursal of Rs one lakh is immediate, as was the case in 64 of the 200 suicides reported in the state since 2001," the official said.

Maharashtra has been reeling under an acute spell of drought, with several agriculturists being forced to commit suicide owing to their mounting debts in the wake of consecutively failing crops.

Since 2001, a total 200 suicides by farmers have been reported, mostly from the Vidarbha region.

According to secretariat sources, the average rainfall recorded in the drought struck Vidarbha region from June 1, 2004, to July 12, 2004 has given more cause for concern.

Yevatmal has recorded 47.1 per cent rainfall, Amravati 54.7 per cent, Bhandara 58.2 per cent, Gadchiroli 56.5 per cent, Jalgaon 53.5 per cent and Nagpur has seen 50.1 per cent rains since June.