Legislative Council: In first three months of year, 767 farmers died by suicide in Maharashtra
Legislators from the opposition had raised the question over the rising number of suicides in the state. Patil in the written reply informed, 'A total of 767 cases of farmer suicides have come to light between January to March 2025. Out of these 373 cases have become eligible and 200 cases have been termed ineligible. Around 194 cases are pending for inquiry.'
The reply also mentioned that out of eligible 373 cases, 327 have been given financial help to the farmers' heirs. Maharashtra government extends financial aid of Rs one lakh to the family of farmers' who died by suicide.
According to the available data, in the year 2024, around 2635 farmers had died by suicide in Maharashtra and in year 2023, around 2851 farmers died by suicide.
Earlier, replying to a different question on the crop insurance scheme, state's Agriculture minister Manikrao Kokate said that the cabinet has approved a new crop insurance scheme. 'Accordingly, insurance will not be available where sowing has not been done. However, the extent of damage will be determined after the harvest, so if there is a complete loss, compensation will be provided. The new scheme will save Rs 5,000 crore. Therefore, now only Rs 700 crore will have to be paid in installments,' he said.
As Kokate insisted on the criteria for providing crop insurance based on threshold income, Leader of Opposition Ambadas Danve accused the Agriculture Minister of wrongly answering. 'Earlier, if there was a 21-day rain break, 25 percent advance was given. Different disasters can occur in different places. After the crop harvest experiment, the threshold income is calculated based on the average of five years. If there is damage immediately after sowing, how will the harvest experiment be conducted? Therefore, the Agriculture Minister's answer is wrong. Don't give such a false answer,' said Danve.
Kokate insisted that the accusation of a 'wrong answer' not be kept on record. Kokate also announced that he would hold a meeting with public representatives and representatives of farmers' organisations.
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