The number of suicides by farmers in Maharashtra due to various causes was 2,568 in 2014.

As many as 725 farmers committed suicide in Maharashtra this year (till October 31) due to agrarian reasons, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Friday.

“Maharashtra has reported 725 number of suicides by farmers from January-October 2015 due to agrarian reasons,” Union Minister of State for Agriculture Mohanbhai Kundaria said in a written reply to the Upper House.

The minister said that as per the report of the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB), the total number of suicides by farmers in Maharashtra under the category ‘self-employed persons (agriculture farmers)’ due to various causes was 2,568 in 2014.

“NCRB report for the year 2015 is not yet published,” Mr. Kundaria said.

Meanwhile, replying to another question, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said that the Maharashtra Government has informed that drought was declared over 38.42 lakh hectares during kharif 2013, 112.46 lakh hectares during kharif 2014 and 53.11 lakh hectares during kharif 2015.

“A sum of Rs. 1,293.82 crore in 2013 and Rs. 3,973.94 crore in 2014 have already been released and paid as compensation to the farmers as per information received from the state government,” Mr. Singh said in the reply.

He also said that compensation for current year still has to be made and the Centre has received a memorandum for financial assistance under NDRF.