Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, August 19: As many as 3,602 farmers committed suicides in past-one-and-a-half decades till 2013. Replying to a written question of BJP MLA Dilip Ray in the assembly Wednesday, agriculture minister Pradeep Maharthy said as per statistics available with National Crime Record Bureau, 3,602 farmers committed suicide between 1999 and 2013.
Maharathy said after receiving suicide complaints the state government conducts inquiry.
As per the NCRB data presented by Maharathy, of the total suicide cases in the state, 3128 are male and 474 female.
The highest number of farmers committed suicide in 2004 which was pegged at 379. The lowest number of suicide cases stood at 144 in 2011.
While 265 suicide cases were registered in 1999, 199 and 256 cases were registered in 2000 and 2001 respectively. In 2002, 345 suicide cases were registered.
Suicide incidents were comparatively lower between 2009 and 2013. While 154 committed suicides in 2009, the figures were 162 and 144 in 2010 and 2011 respectively.
In 2012 and 2013, the NCRB reported 146 and 150 suicides respectively by farmers, the data said.
Maharathy said several measures have been taken for the welfare of farmers such as compensations in the range of Rs 4500 and Rs 12,000 per hactare in case of 50 per cent and above crop loss due to notified natural calamities; up to 75 pc subsidy to develop captive irrigation sources; 50 to 75 pc subsidy for purchasing agriculture machines and crop loan at two pc interest.
He said the Biju Krushak Kalyan Yojana has been introduced to provide health care facility to farmers while a special package has been introduced to ameliorate sufferings of farmers affected by cyclones and subsequent floods.