HYDERABAD: President of People’s Movement against Farmers’ Suicide Somshekar Rao has suggested that the Telangana government should implement insurance scheme for the farmers so that they can get their investment back in case of natural calamities. He also said that 90 percent of premium should be paid by the government and the remaining by the farmer.
Addressing newsmen here on Sunday, Rao said “The present Assembly session ignored the real content for discussion on farmers’ suicides. We want to suggest some points so that at least the discussions at Prof Jayshankar Telangana State Agricultural University on Monday will yield some results. We want participants of the meeting to focus on issues like implementation of insurance scheme, clearing of farmer’s debts in a single installment, introduction of agriculture budget at the state and central level.”
“There is no point of increasing ex gratia from Rs 1.5 lakh to 6 lakh. It is not going to solve the problem. Taking a cue from Chhattisgarh, Kerala and Karnataka government, the Telangana government should give Rs 500 extra over the maximum support price that the Centre has fixed. Also, they need to make sure that farmers get 50 pc more than what they have invested,” V V Rao, convener, People’s Movement against Farmers Suicide suggested.
“The government also need to think about removing taxes on agriculture products. They should also discuss on removing of restrictions on exports of agricultural products to other states and countries,” he added.
Bojja Dasarath Ramireddy, secretary general, Consortium of Indian Farmers Associations (CIFA) said “The government should take the help of cultural troops and organise plays to discourage suicides and create awareness that suicides are not solutions to any problem.’’