Over 550 farmers committed suicide in Maharashtra in 2014
13 Jun, 2014On the basis of statistics obtained using RTI, the BJP MLC Ashish Shelar had raised the issue of suicides by farmers claiming that 562 farmers had committed suicide due to after effects of the hailstorms between January and May 2014. He criticised the government for its alleged failure to take appropriate preventive steps which could have put an end to the suicides.
During a discussion held in the Legislative Council, the Relief and rehabilitation minister Patangrao Kadam replied that 559 farmers’ had committed suicides in Maharashtra in 2014 put of which the families of 232 farmers have been given aid by the government.
Mr Kadam argued that Rs 4,980 crores had been sanctioned this year as relief for the victims of the natural calamity and Rs 2,810 crores had been distributed. The Centre has given an assistance of Rs1,856 crores. He added that the per hectare compensation for the hailstorm victims’ farming lands and orchards has been increased this year. Further, a compensation of Rs 1.57 crores had been given for animals which died in the hailstorm.