Shocking data from the Maharashtra government revealed that an average of 8 farmers are committing suicide per day in the state due to several factors including economic distress and falling crop prices.
According to the state government data, as many as 1,203 farmers have died by suicide in the last seven months under the Shinde-Fadnavis dispensation, while 1,660 farmers died in the two-and-a-half-year period under the Uddhav Thackeray-lea MVA administration.
As many as 5,061 farmers died by suicide during the Devendra Fadvais-led BJP administration between 2014 and 2019, as per the data.
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Earlier this month Krishna Dongre, a farmer in Nasik’s Yeola taluka, burnt his entire 1.5-acre onion farm after not getting the right prices for the produce. He said he has already spent ₹ 1.5 lahks on the crop over four months and will have to spend another ₹ 30,000 to transport it to the market. However, all he will get at the current rate being offered for the onions is just ₹ 25,000.
Mr. Dongre said he had written a letter with his blood to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde inviting him to the onion-burning ceremony so that he could see the condition of farmers himself.
Earlier in the week Maharashtra state budget was presented and the Maharashtra government announced ₹6000 annual cash benefit to 1.15 crore farmers on the lines of PM Kisan Yojana.
DCM Fadnavis allocated additional rupees 6,000. He said this will benefit 1.15 crore farmer families.
Announcement for Farmers in 14 suicide-hit districts to get cash benefits of ₹1800 per year instead of grains distributed through PDS.
The e-pathname will be conducted with the help of drones and satellites to assess the damage owing to natural calamities such as unseasonal rains and others.
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