806 or 4 Farmers per week Committed Suicides in Last 34 months


From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bangalore, Feb 28: A massive total of 806 farmers committed suicides in Karnataka during the last 34 months due to agrarian distress, which incidentally happens to be period since the State got a Government headed by BJP under the chief minisership of B S Yeddyurappa.

Though Yeddyurappa may take pride for his action of wearing the green shawl normally associated with farmers or for being sworn in the name of farmers as well as his recent gesture of coming out with the first-of-its-kind separate agriculture budget for the year 2011-12, the hard reality suggests that 806 or roughly four farmers committed every week of Yeddyurappa rule.

Among the 30 districts in Karnataka, coastal Dakshina Kannada reported 8 suicides by farmers while Udupi was the only district which did not have single case of suicide by farmers due to agrarian crisis.

This startling information was given in the State Legislative Assembly by State Agriculture Minister Umesh V Katti in reply to an unstarred question from JD(S) leader Bandeppa Kashempur on Monday.

The Minister said as many as 101 farmers committed suicide in Hassan district in 2008-09, 2009-10 and till February 15 of 2010-2011.

A compensation of Rs one lakh has been paid to the deceased family members, he said.

A total 337 and 290 farmers committed suicide in 2008-09, and 2009-10, respectively.

A total of 179 took extreme step till February 15 of this financial year.

The district-wise number farmers who committed suicide during the last 34 months is:

Bagalkote – 19, Bangalore Rural – 1, Bidar – 88, Hassan – 101, Haveri – 39, Chamarajangar – 5, Uttara Kannada – 20, Dharwad- 22, Koppal – 14, Mandya – 22, Chikmagalur – 78, Raichur – 15, Tumkur – 31, Shimoga – 36, Kolar – 4, Mysore – 10, Kodagu – 29, Gulbarga – 44, Bijapur – 43, Dakshina Kannada – 8, Gadag – 17, Ramangaram – 6, Belgaum – 63, Davanagere – 34, Bellary – 21, Chitradurga – 39, Chikballapur – 2. 

The Minister, however, ruled out the possibility of increasing compensation given to the family members of deceased farmers who took the extreme step of ending their lives due to agrarian crisis.

  

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Comment on this article

  • Jaison D'Souza, Mangalore/Bangalore

    Mon, Feb 28 2011

    This report confirms whether state goverment headed by B S Yeddyurappa is pro farmer or not. Though central goverment has equal responsibilty, I think these extreme steps taken by farmers can be prevented. Both the goverments are equally responsible. Well, I dont think the separate agriculture budget presented by CM will make any difference. The govt needs to sit with farmers and respective farmer organizations and understand their problems and difficulties. Most of the subisdies and other funds kept aside for farmers do not reach them. The govt needs to act before its too late.

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