Madikeri: Thirty-eight farmers committed suicide in Kodagu district in the last three years owing to debt, according to sources here on Friday. Twelve farmers died in 2003-04, an identical number in 2004-05 and 14 in 2004-05. The Agriculture Department has sent reports in this regard to the State Government.

However, compensation to the tune of Rs. 1 lakh each was paid in respect of 18 cases. Seventeen cases were rejected for lack of sufficient grounds. Three cases are still pending for payment. Even if the 17 cases that have been rejected is to be taken as non-farmers, the percentage of farmers committing suicide is quite high in a district such as Kodagu whose population is 5.45 lakh.

Somwarpet taluk tops the list with 18 suicides being reported, followed by Virajpet taluk with 11 and Madikeri taluk with nine. Farmers had borrowed money from various banks and had also taken individual loans, which they were unable to pay.

Loans taken

The farmers had availed themselves of loans ranging from a few thousands to lakhs of rupees from various vyavasaya seva sahakara sangha niyamita banks, commercial banks, Coffee Board, grain banks (in the form of grains), housing cooperative societies, regional rural banks, private finance agencies, DCC bank branches. It also included loans against pledging of jewels and purchase of fertilizers.

Rehabilitation package

There could be some relief in store for farmers who are not able to cope with the loan burden in 31 districts in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Maharashtra, going by the recent assurance of the Union Government.

The Union Government was to come out with a rehabilitation package, scheduled to be announced soon, sources said.

The Centre, it is said, had identified six districts in the State, including Kodagu; 16 districts in Andhra Pradesh, six districts in Maharashtra and three in Kerala for implementing the farmers' rehabilitation package.

The scheme is aimed at disencumbering farmers and provide them the much needed help and succour. Most importantly, it would address the problem of suicides by farmers. The exact nature of the package would be made known in the monsoon session of Parliament, sources said.

Providing debt relief, lending institutional finance, financial assistance such as crop-centred agriculture, irrigation, horticulture, fisheries, dairy development, extension of the support price schemes, are being envisaged by the Centre. Funds are to come from the Prime Minister's Relief Fund, sources said.

Outstanding

Outstanding loans to the Government from farmers in the 31 identified districts has been put at Rs. 24,000 crore, apart from an interest of Rs. 4,400 crore. The Union Government would also devise means to provide additional loans to the needy farmers by restructuring the existing disbursal methods, sources said.

However, the Agriculture Department here had not received any preliminary communication from the State Government in this regard so far. Official communication was likely only after Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram announces the relief package in Parliament.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail