Farmer suicides PIL: Supreme Court asks centre, state government to file responses -Prabhati Nayak Mishra

Concerned about the increasing numbers of farmer suicides in Maharashtra's drought-hit areas, the Supreme Court on Thursday sought a response from the centre and state on a PIL seeking compensation of Rs 25,000 per hectare to the farmers whose crops have failed.

The bench headed by chief justice of India H L Dattu sought their response on the PIL filed by Rakesh Uttamchandra Upadhyay, a lawyer, highlighting the plight of the farmers in Vidharbha and Marathwada region.

'DROUGHT A NATIONAL PROBLEM'

Upadhyay's plea said the problem was a national problem of the poor and marginal farmers of this agrarian country. Due to drought, debt and low income have forced them to commit suicide in Maharashtra, the plea said. The plea quotes government data as saying that four farmers have committed suicide daily since 1995.

FARMERS SHOULD GET ASSURED PRICE, LOAN WAIVER

The plea asked that the centre and state government should be directed to provide farmers with a reasonable support price for their farm produce and to provide them with other facilities to help them avoid dire situations.

Moreover, the plea said the government should pay compensation of Rs 25,000 per hectare to each farmer, waive their crop loans, and provide them 100 days of work under the MNREGA scheme.

The plea also sought a direction for implementation of the court's 2010 directions in respect of all farmers of India, so that the private money lenders cannot exploit them.