Probe farm suicides in a month: Maharashtra

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has asked the police to conclude the probe into all cases of farmer suicides within a month. According to government sources, the move is aimed at providing speedy compensation to the affected families. 

There were over 800 farmer suicides in the first four months of the year. But opposition parties and activists have said that there is nothing new about the decision, which may have been prompted by pressure from the farmers community. 

A government resolution (GR) issued by the home department on September 16 stated that it was necessary to probe the reasons behind the farmers’ suicides so as to give compensation to the family. “The forensic laboratory should submit its report within two days. A police inspector or assistant police inspector should immediately visit the victim’s family and report about it. It is the responsibility of the police commissioner or police superintendent to prepare a report within a week,” the GR said.  

According to a state government official, this move will help in reducing pending claims for compensation. “There are many cases pending and this latest order by the government will help to expedite the cases so that victims’ families can get compensation early,” he said. 

Experts hold that this is the process otherwise also. “After any suicide, the police inquire into the matter, prepare a report and send it to the tehsil or collector’s office. The delay happens from the administrative side, as they do not recognise all the suicides due to the farmer’s distress. There are many instances of pending files so as to show a lesser number of farmer suicide. This GR by the government is just to show that how quick they are. But there is nothing new in it,” agriculture expert and Nationalist Congress party MLA from Nanded district, Shankaranna Dhondge said. Kisan Sabha leader Dr Ajit Navale said the decision should be welcomed. 

• 3,228 farmers committed suicide in 2015  
• 3,500 farmers killed themselves in 2016
•  Between 2009 and 2016, more than 23,000 farmers committed suicide 
• From January to April this year, 852 farmers committed suicide