7 Farmers Commit Suicide Daily In Maharashtra, says LoP Vijay Wadettiwar

Leader of Opposition in the state legislative assembly, Vijay Wadettiwar, stated that in Maharashtra on an average seven farmers commit suicide daily.

Blaming the government for this, he said the reason behind farmers’ suicides was unexpected natural calamities and negligence of the government. He said the government is not hearing out and trying to solve issues farmers face in Maharashtra.

The issue was also raised in the House by NCP Leader Jayant Patil, Congress Leaders Balasaheb Thorat, Sunil Kedar, and Nana Patole.

He said the Maharashtra government provides “inadequate compensation” through the crop insurance scheme to farmers affected by the drought-like situation and unseasonal rainfall in the state.

Speaking at the Winter Session of the state legislature in Nagpur, Wadettiwar demanded the government announce a drought in the state and grant complete loan waivers to farmers. He also asked the state government to act against insurance companies that have given compensation amounts of INR 3, 37, 45 and 52 to affected farmers.

During the assembly discussion on the various problems farmers are facing as a result of the unseasonal rains and hailstorms, the Congress MLA claimed there was a connection between government officials and insurance companies and that it appeared the government was shielding insurance companies "whose survey report was improper and thus farmers were given small compensation."

महाराष्ट्रातील शेतकऱ्यांना संपूर्ण कर्जमाफी मिळाल्याशिवाय सरकारला विधान सभेतून पळ काढता येणार नाही.

नागपूर इथे होत असलेल्या हिवाळी अधिवेशनाच्या पार्श्वभूमीवर काँग्रेस पक्षाने 'हल्ला बोल' मोर्चा काढून महायुती सरकारला धारेवर धरले.

शेतकऱ्यांना मदत करण्याची या सरकारची ऐपत नाही.… pic.twitter.com/qSM94CQzku

— Vijay Wadettiwar (@VijayWadettiwar) December 11, 2023

Taking a swipe at the inadequate insurance payouts to farmers, Wadettiwar claimed that one farmer who received INR 57 in compensation went to a police station in need of protection. Wadetttiwar claimed that the farmer took this action because the money was "so big" and he required police protection to prevent robbers from taking it.

Jayant Patil said that the state government is busy at events and initially it looked like the ‘triple-engine’ government would accelerate. But with time, its speed has gone down. Jayant Patil demanded that firm action should be taken by the government against the companies that are selling bogus seeds. He also attacked the union government for banning ethanol production from sugar syrup.

During the assembly discussion, Wadettiwar said that due to droughts, water scarcity, unseasonal rains, hailstorms, crop insurance companies’ troubles, false promises of guaranteed prices to farmers, export ban, bogus seeds, and wrong policies of the government, farmers are facing a huge crisis.

The government should relieve farmers of their debt, support 1021 revenue boards, such as 40 drought talukas, offer assistance based on crop categories, offer interest-free crop loans, waive electricity bills, declare a state-wide drought, and provide assistance for crop insurance to help farmers escape this crisis, Wadettiwar added.

He said of 194 talukas, the government declared only 40 talukas as drought-prone. He added that immediate assistance of INR  50,000 per hectare to affected farmers and INR 1 lakh per hectare for the area under horticulture was required. On August 24, 2023, they wrote to the government regarding the declaration of drought but the government did not respond to their letter.

Farmers would have benefited more if the government had unveiled an early draft along the lines of Karnataka, he said.

In the state, almost 3,000 farmers have taken their own lives. However, the administration is not sincere, said Wadettiwar. Every day in Marathwada, two or three of these farmers take their own lives. When farmers get into problems, they talk about government resolution (GR), rules, and norms, said Wadettiwar.