Telangana records 223 farmer suicides in less than a year, says Rythu Swarajya Vedika

Shockingly, according to a list issued by the Vedika, Siddipet recorded the highest number of suicides in the last 12 months as 22 farmers ended their lives in the district.

Siddipet: The Rythu Swarjya Vedika (RSV), an independent organisation working on farmers’ issues in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, has claimed that Telangana witnessed suicides of 223 farmers since the Congress came to power. Shockingly, according to a list issued by the Vedika, Siddipet recorded the highest number of suicides in the last 12 months as 22 farmers ended their lives in the district.

Adilabad and Bhupallly districts reported 21 and 19 suicides respectively during the period. Jogulamba-Gadwal and Nagarkurnool districts recorded one suicide each. While Hyderabad and Medchel-Malkajigir districts, which are completely urbanised, recorded no farmer suicides, the RSV is working to get the farmer suicide figures from Mancherial, Mahabubagar, Narayanpet, Wanaparthy and Suryapet districts.

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Speaking to Telangana Today, B Kondal Reddy of RSV said the number of suicides may slightly go up in all the districts because they may have missed a few. However, the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) would come up with exact figures on suicides annually, he said, adding that the Congress, which came to power with a host of promises to uplift the farming sector, had failed to keep its promises.

The government had failed to provide identity cards to tenant farmers besides denying crop insurance. Nearly 36 per cent of the total suicides reported in the State during the last one year were of tenant farmers. The RSV lashed out at the government as it failed to disburse the Rythu Bharosa incentive even though the government collected the opinions of farmers’ organisations some four months ago by holding meetings across all the districts. The government also failed to implement the loan waiver for 100 per cent of farmers besides denying many other benefits, it said.

District-wise farmer suicides (above 10) in Telangana

Siddipet – 22

Adilabad – 21

Bhupalapally – 19

Mahabubabad – 14

Medak – 13

Jangaon – 13

Warangal – 12

Nalgonda – 11

Hanmakonda – 11

Khammam – 11

Nirmal – 10

Bhadradri-Kothagudem – 10