Maharashtra has witnessed 12,021 farmer suicides during the last four years.

The government has claimed to have worked on water conservation and irrigation. (Photo: PTI)

Mumbai: Maharashtra’s agriculture minister Anil Bonde urged farmers to not bring thoughts of committing suicide to their minds adding that the government will fulfill its promise of waiving the farm loans, The Indian Express reported.

Maharashtra has witnessed 12,021 farmer suicides during the last four years with Marathwada and Vidarbha being the worst-affected regions as stated by the government in the Legislative Assembly.

Bonde spoke to ANI, “It is true that there is an agrarian crisis in the state. Till today, Rs 19,000 crores have been transferred into the accounts of farmers. Those remaining will also get the benefit of loan waiver in the coming weeks.”

“I appeal to farmers to not bring thoughts of committing suicide to their minds. It’s a difficult time as there has been no rain yet. We all need to fight this together. Our farmer loan waiver scheme has been implemented successfully as compared to Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh,” he added.

Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Subhash Deshmukh, while replying to a starred question in the Legislative Assembly, said, “Of the 12,021 cases, 6,888 cases or only 57 per cent have so far been found eligible for ex-gratia financial assistance. The state government provides an assistance of Rs 1 lakh to families of farmers who are deemed to have committed suicide on account of farm distress.”

The aid has been distributed in 6,845 cases as confirmed by the minister. The state had rolled out a farm debt waiver scheme to curb farm distress.

The government has claimed to have worked on water conservation and irrigation. Maharashtra witnessed the highest number of suicides in India.