1,497 farmer suicides since loan waiver announced

Maharashtra has recorded 1,497 farmer suicides in the six months since the loan waiver was declared in June, official data shows. This is just 4.2% lower than the 1,563 cases reported in the same period last year.

In fact, these cases account for 56% of the total 2,662 farmer suicides reported between January and November this year.

The roll-out of the waiver was delayed by glitches in the verification process. By now the state has cleared Rs 19,537 crore to be deposited into 41 lakh bank accounts. However, the clearances have come slowly and the process of depositing the funds into farmers’ accounts is still on.

“Not only have large numbers of farmers missed out on the loan waiver, they have had to face heavy losses after the attack of the pink bollworm pest especially in Vidarbha. The government has failed to address this crisis,” says Ajit Navale from the Kisan Sabha.

Source: 1,497 farmer suicides since loan waiver announced | Mumbai News – Times of India