Representative image.

MUMBAI: Despite a good monsoon last year and the government's steps to tackle the agrarian crisis , the number of farmers' suicide is climbing in the state.

As many as 235 farmers killed themselves this March.This is on top of 202 farmers ending their lives in February and an equal number in January this year. The data compiled by the relief and rehabilitation department led by senior BJP leader Chandrakant Patil said in all, 639 farmers committed suicide between January 1and March 31, 2017.

Out of the 639 suicide cases, financial assistance had been given in 224, 138 cases had been rejected, and 267 are still under scrutiny. Last year, 3,052 farmers killed themselves. Exgratia was paid in 1,619 cases, claim for ex-gratia was rejected in 1,167 cases, and 264 cases are still under scrutiny .

This spurt could not have come at a worse time for CM Devendra Fadnavis, as the opposition ratcheted up its demand for a loan waiver for the farmers. Their cry has become even more strident since the BJP, which came to power in UP recently, announced a waiver there.

Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, the leader of opposition, said the government is not serious about tackling the agrarian crisis and so there is no end to farmers' suicide. “We are on a statewide Sangharsha Yatra to demand a complete loan waiver. My firm view is that if the CM announces a loan waiver, it will reduce farmers' suicide.For a state like Maharashtra, it's not a huge amount; the government will have to provide Rs 30,000 crore. If BJP-ruled UP can afford a loan waiver, it should not be difficult for the CM," said Vikhe Patil.

“It (the BJP) cannot have two different yard sticks for two states. It should draft a uniform policy on loan waiver. If our demand is not accepted, we will intensify our agitation to demand a complete loan waiver," added Vikhe Patil.

A senior official said though Fadnavis has drafted a series of measures to reduce far mers' suicide, implementation of the schemes is poor. “We had ordered a high level probe into every suicide case to pin-point the reasons, but it was found that there were no serious probes. We do not have the specific reasons in each case," he said.

Secondly , it was stressed that at the village level, efforts should be made to identify farmers in distress and tackle issues raised by them. Again, no steps were taken for redressal of grievances. “We had promised free education to dependents of farmers who committed suicide, free treatment under the Rajiv Gandhi health scheme, and implementation of other schemes in 13 suicideprone districts in Vidarbha and Marathwada. We have no progress report on these guidelines," he said.

