According to a New Indian Express report cases of farmer suicides have spiked in Karnataka despite farm loan waivers. Data available with TNIE shows that an average of 100 farmers committed suicide every month between October and December as compared to the monthly average of 50 suicides in the first six months of the financial year 2018-19. The number of farmers committing suicide has tripled in the third quarter of this financial year. The Mumbai-Karnataka region is witnessing an alarming increase in the number of farmer suicides. The Data available with TNIE suggests that between March and December 2018, Belagavi district recorded the highest number of suicides when 66 farmers committed suicide. Next in the list is Mysuru, where 44 farmers ended their lives.
Small farmers are the in the majority among those resorting to suicide. TNIE has quoted the President of the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sang saying, “Small farmers are bearing the burnt of the agrarian crisis caused by drought. Since they do not have any income to subsist agricultural income and as the state does not have any schemes to increase the income of farmers, they are forced to take the drastic step.” He further added, “Farm loan waiver too hasn’t reached all people. If the loan waiver was implemented in three months after its announcement, maybe the impact of drought could have been cushioned by it.”
Implementing the farm loan waiver is obviously not going to solve the agrarian crisis in the state, and is therefore ill-concieved agricultural policy on the state’s part. The incumbent has failed to fulfill its promise of solving the agrarian crisis in the state. The rise in farmer suicides is intrinsically linked to the shoddy implementation of the scheme and hasty promises made by Congress-JDS are responsible as well.
The JD(S) during a state assembly campaign had targeted Siddaramaiah led Congress government in the state over the issue of farmer suicides, it was, in fact, one of the main poll plank of the JD(S), and it had also promised to waive off all farm loans within 24 hours of coming to power.
In the year 2014-15, 101 farmers committed suicide in Karnataka. In 2016-17, 103 farmers committed suicide. Overall, more than 2000 farmers have committed suicide in Karnataka in the past four years. The conditions of farmers in the state have only exacerbated with every passing day.
In the month of July, HD Kumaraswamy had announced a Rs. 34,000 crore farm loan waiver in the state budget, to be spread over four years and as many stages, covering farmers who had defaulted on loan payments till the 31st of December 2017. The Janta Dal (Secular) party in its election manifesto had promised to waive off Rs. 53,000 crore of agricultural debt once it came into power but in reality, only a miniscule number of farmers have been aided by the farm loan waivers till date in Karnataka.
In November, according to the TOI report, farmers were being issued arrest warrants for not repaying their loans. Many Private Banks have gone to the extent of filing criminal cases against the defaulters on charges of dishonoring post-dated cheques. In Belagavi district, 160 suits were filed and arrest warrants against 62 farmers were issued. Private Banks have even seized farmers’ tractors.
For more details: The reality of Congress’ farm loan waiver promises