Over 14,000 farmers committed suicide in Maharashtra between October 2014 and August 2019, govt tells Legislative Council

Mumbai: As many as 14,591 farmers committed suicide in Maharashtra between October 2014 and August 2019, state Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Vijay Wadettiwar said on Monday. [caption id=“attachment_7679361” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. Reuters.[/caption] He also said that 1,286 farmers ended their lives in 2019 in 11 districts falling under the Nagpur and Amravati revenue divisions. The minister gave this information in the state Legislative Council while replying to a question raised by Congress MLC Sharad Ranpise. “From October 2014 to August 2019, as many as 14,591 farmers have committed suicide, of which 5,430 cases are disqualified for any help, while another 214 cases are pending for enquiry,” Wadettiwar said in a written reply. He also informed that there has been a special package for six districts in Maharashtra where farmer suicides have been reported in large numbers. Responding to another question raised by BJP MLC Parinay Fuke, the minister said, “Eleven districts of Nagpur and Amravati divisions have reported 1,286 farmer suicides during 2019 calendar year.” The Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra recently announced a loan waiver scheme for farmers.