Strongly condemning TRS government’s silence over the growing farmers’ suicides in the state at an alarming level, the Telangana Congress Legislature Party (TCLP) has demanded that the State Government convene an all-party meeting to discuss the issue of farmers’ suicide. Its Deputy leader Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy said that Telangana was among seven States which were asked by the Supreme Court to suggest measures to deal with situations that often force farmers to commit suicide.
He urged that the State Government must take Supreme Court’s observation very serious and come up with positive suggestions to end the spree of suicide by farmers. He said as per the directions of the Supreme Court, the State Government should frame policies to protect farmers from crop failures due to natural calamities and debts.
According to the recent report of National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), he said Telangana stands second in the country in farmers’ suicide. While 898 farmers’ suicides were reported in 2014, in the year 2015 the number increased to 1400, which includes 42 agricultural workers. He said of 1,358 farmers, as many as 632 or 46.5% committed suicide due to ‘Bankruptcy or Indebtedness’. He suggested that the State Government should invite all political parties to discuss and come up with a permanent solution for this problem.
Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in Legislative Council Mohammed Ali Shabbir alleging that the state government had diverted Rs 750 crore input subsidy of farmers granted by the Centre to other works, has demanded that the state government clear the farmers pending crop insurance dues, farmers loan waiver dues and input subsidy dues, immediately.
Welcoming the Supreme Court’s directive issued to Centre and states asking them to formulate comprehensive policy for the welfare of farmers, Shabbir Ali said the SC decision was a slap in the face of the TRS government in the state.