MUMBAI: A confidential report submitted by a former Maharashtra government official has revealed that as many as one lakh farmers in the state's Marathwada region were contemplating suicide. As per the report, the wretched decision is influenced by factors such as rising debt, infertile land, drought, lack of funds for kin's weddings, lack of remunerative prices for agricultural produce, and rising poverty.
According to the report, the Maharashtra government had carried out a survey featuring 10 lakh farmers in the Marathwada region and asked them 104 questions. The report revealed that a total of 2.98 lakh farmers had been mentally disturbed and were in distress of which 1.05 lakh farmers were contemplating suicide due to their financial situation.
The survey had been aimed at preventing farmer suicides by understanding their psychology and launching various welfare schemes to support them.
Former Aurangabad divisional commissioner Sunil Kendrakar, before taking voluntary retirement, had carried out the survey of ten lakh farmers in the Marathawada region and submitted a 25-page report to the state government. Kendrekar was scheduled to retire on May 31, 2024, but instead chose to quit the service after the Maharashtra government had accepted his VRS request last month.
According to the report, Kendrekar has suggested abolishing all current state and centre government welfare schemes such as crop insurance and the Namo Sanman scheme in which the state provides an aid of Rs 6,000 along with the Centre's aid of Rs 6,000. Kendrakar in his report stated that such schemes helped the farmers "very little" and "did not bring any positive change."
Kendrakar had also suggested terminating all staff and officers who are working in the agriculture and cooperation department because the salaries of these employees added a burden of Rs 8,000 to 10,000 to the state, rather than bringing any solution to the farmers. "Therefore, the agriculture department should seriously stop wasting money on these staffers' salaries," the report had stated.
Instead, Kendrakar opined that every farmer should be given Rs 20,000 per acre of agricultural land as financial aid during the rabi and kharif seasons.
"Each farmer should be given a total of Rs 20,000 as ex-gratia for per acre of agricultural land during both rabi and kharif seasons. If the farmer is owning ten acres of land, then he or she should be given Rs 2 lakh per year as financial aid rather than doling out various schemes and welfare programs that do not reach the farmers," reads the report.
The report stated that a total of Rs 50,000 crore must be raised annually to execute this mega overhaul of providing Rs 20,000 per farmer. The report also provided suggestions on how this Rs 50,000 crore sum can be raised.
As per the report, a sum of Rs 30,000 crores can be saved annually if the welfare and insurance schemes for farmers are stopped. A sum of up to Rs 10,000 crores can be raised by terminating the jobs of agricultural and cooperative department staffers and officials. The remaining amount can be raised by increasing the stamp duty and registration charges from the current Rs 60,000 per acre to Rs 1 lakh. "Once these suggestions are implemented, farmers will surely get Rs 20,000 per acre for their land in Maharashtra. This will not only end their financial issues but also help them lead a comfortable life,” the report stated.
NCP leader and MLC Eknath Khadse said that this is a very serious matter and urged the state government to think it over and bring solutions. He said every farmer's life is important highlighting the report's revelations.
Maharashtra Agriculture Minister Dhananjay Munde said that he will check whether the former IAS officer had submitted a report stating that one lakh farmers in the Marathwada region were contemplating suicide. "Kendrakar was the divisional commissioner of Aurangabad so he must have submitted the report to the revenue department. I will check if the report has reached the government. I will read it and speak in detail later," Munde added.
Discussing suicides can be triggering for some. However, suicides are preventable. In case you feel distressed by the content or know someone in distress, call Sneha Foundation - 04424640050 (available 24x7)