The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : YSR announces aid for kin of suicide victims

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, May 19, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

YSR announces aid for kin of suicide victims

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, MAY 18. Keeping his pre-election promises, the Chief Minister, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, today announced two major decisions — a special economic assistance scheme for families of farmers who had committed suicide and completion of 24 pending irrigation projects estimated to cost Rs. 26,000 crores in the next five years.

Addressing a press conference after a daylong review of a host of subjects, Dr. Reddy announced a one-time settlement scheme with a ceiling of Rs. 50,000 for clearing all outstanding loans taken by the farmers who had committed suicide. Another component would be an assistance of Rs. 1 lakh to the next of the kin, not as ex-gratia, but to enable the family members to stand on their own legs, economically. This would be extended to all cases of suicide after July 1, 1998. He expressed concern at the continuing trend, with three more farmers committing suicide during the last few days.

The Chief Minister said applications would be invited for getting this assistance, and a committee comprising the Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO), the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), the local MLA and Sarpanch would be constituted for going into causes, verifying the claims and settling the debts.

As for the Rs. 1 lakh assistance, it would be operated as joint account involving the dependents and the Mandal Revenue Officer. With help from the Mandal Agricultural Officer, the family would be helped to revive agriculture. If the victim happened to be a landless farmer and a tenant, efforts would be made to allot one or two acre land. He would be extended 90 per cent subsidy in drip irrigation schemes, included in the Indira Awas Yojana housing programme and his children would be provided education in social welfare hostels. To discourage and prevent farmers from taking to such extreme steps, a helpline would be set up in each Collectorate and RDOs and DSPs made accountable for such incidents. "The objective is to rush humanitarian and timely help to the farmers in distress. It could be crop failure, mounting debts or spurious seeds." He spoke of extending the services of a counsellor to such farmers.

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Andhra Pradesh