It’s been a decade since the Bombay High Court passed an order asking the State government to increase the Rs 1 lakh compensation given to families of farmers who commit suicide. However, Maharashtra has disbursed that same amount to 1000 farmer families over the last three years.
The State informed the court that 1000 farmers committed suicide in Marathwada and Vidarbha regions between 2013 and 2015. A division bench of Justices Naresh Patil and GS Kulkarni was hearing a suo motu petition on the rise in the number of farmers committing suicide in the State.
The court asked the State about the schemes formulated for the welfare of families. The court also wanted to know the number of families that have benefitted from the schemes, and said a scheme on paper is of no use.
Additional Government Pleader AB Vagyani said the State provides transport passes to the children of deceased farmers, self employment opportunities to the youth, and ‘farm pot’ facility to save rain water to help farmers in agriculture. He added the State has come up with a new crop insurance scheme in which farmers only have to pay two per cent of the premium while the State takes care of rest. He also said that after a farmer commits suicide, and once the post mortem reports are in, a compensation of Rs 1 lakh is disbursed within 15 to 20 days.
It is at this point that the court interrupted him, and reminded him of a High Court order of 2006 asking the State to enhance the compensation amount. The neighbouring states give a compensation of Rs 4-5 lakh, the court said.
The bench remarked it has been 10 years since it issued its order and read it out: “The state is asked to suitably enhance the amount of Rs 1 lakh and come up with a realistic amount.”
The court asked the State to consider inviting corporations to adopt villages and commercialise farm products to enable farmers to earn a healthy profit.
