As many as 1,358 farmers have committed suicide in Odisha during eight years from 2007 to 2014, informed Agriculture and Farmers Empowerment Minister Pradeep Maharathy in the Assembly on Wednesday.
It was revealed from the NCRB data furnished by the Minister in response to a question of BJP member Dilip Ray. The deceased include 155 women farmers, the Minister said. The Minister didn’t furnish any information regarding farmer suicides in 2015 and 2016. According to the information, while 240 peasants, including 70 women, committed suicides in 2007, 260 farmers, including 15 women, in 2008, 154, including 11 women, in 2009, 162, including 17 women, in 2010, 144 including six women in 2011, 146, including 25 women, in 2012, 150, including seven women, in 2013 and 102 farmers, including four women, committed suicide in 2014.
The Minister stated that the State Government had taken many steps, including announcing packages, waiving water cess and postponing loan recovery to lessen stress on the farmers and thereby contain farmer suicides in the State.