ANDHRA PRADESH

 All Round Concern Over Farmer Suicides

CPI(M) Demands Immediate And Preventive Measures

M Venugopala Rao

THERE is all-round concern over increasing suicides of farmers in Andhra Pradesh even though there are divergent accounts on the actual number of such suicides. According to reports in the media, after the formation of the Congress government headed by Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy on May 14, there is a spurt in the number of farmers committing suicide – the figure being 103.  A total of about 175 farmers have committed suicide in the month of May alone, as per these reports.

Apart from declaring, the moment he was sworn in as chief minister, supply of free electricity to agriculture and waiver of dues of power bills of farmers, the new chief minister announced a package of ex gratia to the families of the farmers who committed suicide. It consisted of Rs 50,000 each as compensation and Rs 1 lakh each as assistance for agricultural development.  This was in total contrast to the insensitive approach of the erstwhile TDP government, which initially went to the extent of denying that suicides were taking place. It had also claimed that the suicides would increase if ex gratia was given to the families of the deceased farmers. In an utter show of contempt to the toiling farmers, the TDP government claimed that the farmers were committing suicides due to mass hysteria and due to the pain from indigestion.

CPI(M) INTERVENTION

Welcoming the package announced by the new government as a step in the right direction in the process of negating the injustice done to the farmers and in coming to the aid of the families of the deceased farmers, the state committee of the CPI(M) asked the government to differentiate between providing assistance to the families of the farmers who committed suicide and in taking measures to prevent such suicides. In a letter addressed to Dr Rajasekhara Reddy on May 20, state secretary of the CPI(M),  B V Raghavulu, requested the government to examine the conditions which were leading the farmers to commit suicides and take necessary measures to prevent the same. It has been revealed in several studies that the main reason for the farmers taking such extreme step is the mounting indebtedness and the resultant despondency that there is nobody to come to their rescue.  Therefore, immediate steps are necessary on the problem of indebtedness of farmers to prevent their suicides.

Raghavulu made the following suggestions to the new chief minister in his letter: 

1.  Impose a moratorium for one year on collection of dues of loans given by the government and cooperative bodies to the poor and middle class farmers. 

2. Necessary administrative measures should be taken to prevent private moneylenders from pressurising farmers, who were in financial difficulties, for repayment of dues.

3. Required powers should be given to the local Panchayats to provide necessary moral and legal assistance after examining the complaints of farmers who were being harassed by the private moneylenders for their inability to repay their dues. 

4. Most of the farmers who are committing suicides are sharecroppers.  They should be provided a legal opportunity to get loans from government and cooperative banks by giving them identity cards.

5. A meeting should be organised with farmers’ associations to discuss necessary steps to come to the rescue of the farmers on a permanent basis.

STATEMENT IN ASSEMBLY

Making a statement in the legislative assembly on June 2 on the issue of farmer suicides, the chief minister, after discussions with NABARD, declared a moratorium on repayment of dues of all types of loans taken by the farmers at least for six months.  Requesting the moneylenders not to pressurise the farmers for repayment of loans, Dr Rajasekhara Reddy warned that they would be held responsible if the farmers committed suicide unable to withstand their pressure.  He also announced that cooperative loans to farmers would be sanctioned with an interest of 3 per cent per annum.

Participating in the discussion on the issue, Nomula Narsimhaiah, leader of the CPI(M) legislature party, suggested formation of Mandal level committees with agricultural officers, extension officers, Mandal Revenue Officers and Mandal Development Officers to analyse the reasons for the suicides of farmers and suggest measures to prevent them. He explained that ever since the implementation of liberalised reforms since 1991, suicides of farmers have been taking place. The prices of fertilisers increased by 300 per cent, of pesticides by 60 per cent and of seeds by 100 to 400 per cent.  The water cess has gone up by 260 per cent. As a result, expenditure for cultivation increased and the farmers were caught in a web of indebtedness.  Finding fault with the erstwhile TDP government for totally neglecting agriculture sector, he demanded the new government to announce moratorium on repayment of loans by farmers for one year, provide concessions to farmers and take stern action against moneylenders who were resorting to forcible collection of dues from farmers.

Media reports indicate that the relief package announced by the new government has not yet reached the affected families of farmers. The chief minister explained that out of 103 suicides reported in the state from May 15 onwards, enquiries revealed that 47 farmers committed suicide due to their problems relating to agriculture, 42 suicides had taken place due to other reasons and enquiry was going on in another 14 cases of suicide.  He felt that it was necessary to involve the local people and local bodies, instead of leaving it entirely to officers, to ascertain the reasons for these suicides and to ensure that relief is extended to all deserving families of the deceased. Responding to claims from the opposition that the number of farmers who committed suicide was much larger, the chief minister promised to enquire into other cases also and extend relief to all deserving cases. Already, about 1,000 farmers sought the government’s help through the helpline numbers arranged in the districts and most of them complained that they were heavily indebted and were being subjected to undue pressure by moneylenders, explained Dr Reddy.

One of the main reasons for the farmer suicides is the failure of crops due to use of spurious seeds, fertilisers and pesticides.  Responding to suggestions on this issue, the chief minister promised to bring about new legislation to take stern action on those who produce such spurious inputs. He promised to bring in a comprehensive crop insurance scheme in place of the defective crop insurance scheme presently under implementation, making it applicable to all types of crops and to those farmers who have no opportunity to get loans from banks. It would also be ensured that payment would be made to the extent of failure of crops under the scheme to the affected farmers. To make agriculture a remunerative proposition, long-term measures like purchase of  agricultural produce with timely intervention of the agencies of the central and state governments, ensuring minimum support prices and relaxing standards of specifications wherever necessary, need to be taken.  Most of the farmers who committed suicides raised commercial crops. The CPI(M) members stressed that implementation of land reforms, completion of the ongoing irrigation projects and taking up of pending projects for speedy implementation will go a long way in improving the lot of the farmers.

ROUND-TABLE CONFERENCE

A round-table conference on “Suicides of Farmers and Means of Prevention”, organised by the Andhra Pradesh Rythu Sangham, on June 4 in Hyderabad, recommended the following measures:

1. At least one-year moratorium should be imposed on repayment of all kinds of agricultural loans given by the governmental and cooperative banks, private organisations and individuals 

2. Revive Debt Relief Act, 1938

3. Give long-term loans to new crops on the basis of the extent of land and increased scale of finance. Give priority to small and marginal farmers in sanctioning of loans.  Give loans to the SCs and STs in the proportion they are entitled to 

4. Following the credit policy of the RBI that there is no need for any guarantee to give agricultural loans to the extent of Rs 50,000, give bank loans to sharecroppers.  Sharecroppers should be given identity cards at the village level itself

5. In the continuously drought-affected areas, the government must waive principle and interest amount to the small and marginal farmers and interest to amount to other farmers

6. Conduct village meetings and explain the measures the government is going to take up. Give the responsibility to the local bodies and ensure participation of the civil society. There should be coordination with the affected farmers, lenders, officers and people’s representatives. The government should also organise counselling centres

7. Give 50 kg rice each, free of cost to the families of the rural poor during June and July

8. Supply quality seeds to the extent required by farmers at subsidised prices

9. Formulate a policy framework, ensuring increase in government’s investment in the agricultural sector and its support and involvement in different stages.

10. The state government should organise a meeting with farmers’ associations, organisations and experts to discuss the plight of agricultural sector and suggest appropriate measures.      

 Appeals are being made from different quarters to farmers not to commit suicide but to pick up courage to face problems and difficulties and fight for their solution.