Since the formation of the new State families of only 22 of the 93 farmers from Sangareddy district who ended their life unable to bear the burden of loss in farming have received the promised ex gratia of Rs 6 lakh from the Government of Telangana.
Not just the ex gratia in case of suicide but even in the case of input subsidy the tenant farmers are at the receiving end, representatives of the Rytu Swarajya Vedika (RSV) noted.
The failure of the officials in issuing the Government loan eligibility cards (LEC) has denied these farmers access to crop loans from banks. Further, in the event of a crop failure due to natural calamity, the input subsidy goes to the land owner and not the tiller.
According to information gathered from newspaper reports 2,534 farmers had committed suicide in the State after formation of Telangana State, however, the official figure is only 614. Out of them 93 from the present Sangareddy district committed suicide in the period June 1, 2014 and October 15, 2016 and only 22 received ex gratia and they were small farmers with leased land, B. Kondal Reddy and K. Naveen of RSV told The Hindu.
No documentary evidence
Since most of the farmers were not issued LEC certificates they were ineligible for the ex gratia amount of Rs. 6 lakh being extended by the Government after formation of Telangana, the RSV representatives said. While there are some 10 lakh tenant farmers in Telangana only 4,500 have been given LEC certificates, they added.
“Recently our crops were submerged in the backwaters of Manjeera due to heavy floods. The officials came and noted the crop loss details. But the compensation/ input subsidy goes to the accounts of land owners as there is no proof that we were cultivating the land. None of the land owners are willing to sign an official land lease document. If we insist the lease goes to another farmer,” said Balaiah, a farmer from Pottipally.
“The assistance is not being extended to the families of farmers who committed suicide. Three member committees constituted at mandal-level and division-level to inquire into the suicides of farmers were not visiting the families of farmers. The officials can inquire locally and certify the credentials of tenant farmer even if the farmer did not have the LEC certificate. This is not being done properly,” said B. Kondal Reddy and K. Naveen of RSV.
