NEW DELHI: About 8,263 farmers have committed suicide in seven States between 2003 and March, 2007. Besides Maharashtra (Vidarbha), Karnataka, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh, that were given a nearly Rs. 17,000 crore rehabilitation package last year, farmers suicides were also reported from Tamil Nadu, Punjab and Gujarat.

There were nearly 4,000 suicides between 2005-06 and March 31, 2007 as reported by State Governments to the Union Agriculture Ministry.

In Maharashtra alone there were distress suicides by 2,329 farmers in 2006. Till February this year, 239 suicides were reported. The Central Government is awaiting reports from other States.

However, despite the Tamil Nadu Government reporting 26 farmers suicides between 2000 and March, 2007, Punjab reporting 30 such deaths between 2003 and 2005 and Gujarat reporting 18 suicides between 2003 and 2006, the Union Government has no intention of extending the Farmers Rehabilitation Package to the distressed districts in these States.

(The package provides a waiver on interest on loans, rescheduling of loans, and greater thrust to irrigation, seed replacement, extension and subsidiary income facilities.)

The Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar reported this in Parliament on Monday in a statement on the status of implementation of the recommendations of the 18th Report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture.

Of the 19 recommendations made by the Committee, the Centre only accepted seven. It did not accept the panel's suggestion for enhancing the scope of the rehabilitation package. On its part, the panel chaired by former Food Minister Devendra Prasad Yadav disputed the suicide figures and asked the Government to collect data from States.

The Government accepted the panel's proposal for timely approval to schemes, recognition of crop damaged by frost, fog and hail for compensation, promotion of balanced use of fertilizers, quality of fertilizers, strengthening the extension system, seed replacement and setting up rural godowns and cold storages.

The Ministry informed the panel that it had sought higher budgetary allocation from the Planning Commission to achieve the target of 4.1 per cent growth rate in agriculture and allied sector.

The scheme for revamping of cooperatives, setting up soil testing laboratories, debt recovery measures, operation of National Rainfed Area Authority, provision of quality seeds were at various stages of implementation.

For the Modified National Crop Insurance Scheme, the approval of the Planning Commission was awaited. A pilot project was, however, later cleared this year.

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