Satheesan seeks comprehensive package for farmers in despair
He demands that the government declare a moratorium on loan recovery, considering the huge crop losses suffered by farmers following heat wave, intense rains and natural disasters
Kerala’s Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan has expressed deep concern over the rise in farmer suicides in the State following severe financial constraints.
In a statement here on August 9, Mr. Satheesan said that the suicide of Soman, a farmer from Nenmara in Palakkad, was very painful. The paddy farmer had run up huge debts running into lakhs by way of loan repayment arrears in various banks. It was crop loss and huge financial liabilities incurred during farming that pushed him to take the extreme step.
Mr. Satheesan demanded that the government declare a moratorium on loan recovery, considering the huge crop losses following intense rains and natural disasters.
The State government should declare a comprehensive package at the earliest to help the farming community, which is going through a serious crisis, Mr. Satheesan added.
Reeling under the vagaries of climate change, the State government’s apathy and neglect has further pushed the farmers in the State to the brink of despair, he said.
The government’s failure to give procurement price to paddy farmers on time just deepened the financial crisis that they had been up against. Despite the farmers incurring losses of over ₹1,000 crore following heat wave and intense rains that followed, the government has not extended any help to them.
Even when wallowing in despair and penury following the landslide disaster, the farmers are continuing to receive loan recovery and attachment notices from banks. Yet, the government has not even thought about declaring a moratorium on recovery by banks, Mr. Satheesan said.
The government needs to intervene more proactively in the farm sector and farmers have to be paid the money due to them without delay.
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