Farmers not weak to let adversity push them to suicide: Dhankar

CHANDIGARH: Haryana's BJP government is mum on farmer suicides in the state following the crop damage due to unseasonal rains.
Haryana agriculture minister Om Prakash Dhankar said on Friday said that farmers were not so weak to commit suicide in the wake of adversities. Sources in the government said announcement of any relief package for such farmers may encourage people to link suicides for any reason or natural deaths to crop loss.
"The farmers are very touchy on this issue as they have faced heavy damages. So, we are taking a very cautious stand on the issue as we want to discourage suicides," said a senior functionary in the government.
Around 10 deaths, including heart attack and suicides, were already linked to the crop damage during the past two weeks. Three farmers, including a woman, had died in Darauli village in Rewari district due to heart attack after almost 100% loss to the wheat crop.
As of now, the government has not even clarified whether these deaths can be covered under the compensation policy. Under the policy, the government gives financial help of Rs 2 lakh to the family of any person, who dies due to crop damage in hailstorm or drought.
According to Haryana additional chief secretary (revenue) Dalip Singh, whether the death of farmers occurred in Haryana are covered under the policy will be ascertained only after examination of reports from the deputy commissioners concerned. "As of now, we have not received reports from any DC," Singh said.
Bharatiya Kisan Union's Haryana unit president Gurnam Singh said the government must give Rs 10 lakh as financial help to each of the family of the deceased farmers apart from government job to a family member. "Before handing over the compensation, the government may confirm cause of death in such cases," he suggested.
Haryana government has allowed girdawari (assessment) of crop damage even after April 15, which was earlier fixed as deadline for completing the process. According to state additional chief secretary (revenue) Dalip Singh, the rainfall has taken place in around half a dozen districts after April 15. The government has received reports of rainfall in few pockets, including Kaithal and Panipat, on Friday also. Now, the government is expecting a final report of crop loss on Monday. The revenue officials estimate maximum damage in Narnaul, Mahendergarh, Mewat, Bhiwani, Jhajjar and Rohtak due to rain and hailstorms.
Haryana government is also mulling an insurance scheme to cover damage to crops.
Dhankar said on Friday that a corporation under public private partnership may be set up to provide the scheme. According to farmers' leaders, currently there is no effective government sponsored farm insurance scheme in the state. "That's why farmers will be deprived of taking benefit of insurance scheme despite heavy losses to the crop," said a senior farmers' leader Dayanand Poonia.
The agriculture minister said the previous insurance scheme was not much beneficial to the state farmers.
"Now, we would introduce a scheme involving private sector to get the benefit of their expertise. The government would also contribute to the scheme to ensure proper implementation of the insurance cover," he added.