Punjab: 179 Debt-Ridden Farmers Committed Suicides in Sangrur Since March 2017, Says Report
There have been 179 cases of farmers suicides since Amarinder Singh’s government came to power in the state in March 2017.
Chandigarh, April 4: Despite the debt-waiver scheme by Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, there has been an increase in the number of suicides among the farmers in the state’s Sangrur district, reports Bhartiya Kisan Union. According to the BKU-Ugrahan, there have been 179 cases of farmers suicides since Amarinder Singh’s government came to power in the state in March 2017.
If believed to the reports released by the district agriculture department, 119 farmers committed suicide in Sangrur between April 2017 and March 2018. It further points out that 665 farmer suicides have been reported from April 2013 to date. Among the 665 farmers committed suicides in Sangrur district, 195 had received financial support from the government. Maharashtra Farmer Suicides: 235 Farmers Ended Lives in September, Relief & Rehab Minister Asks for Food and Health Security.
However, BKU activist Sukhpal Singh Manak claims that in March this year only 50 debt-ridden farmers committed suicide across the state and alleges that 1,030 farmers ended their lives in Punjab during the present Congress regime, reports Hindustan Times.
It is to be known that Congress came to power in the state with a promise to waive farmers’ debts within months. The scheme finally saw the light when the CM Singh handed over the farm loan waiver certificates to 10 farmers from five districts at a function in Mansa on January 9, 2018.
Alleging that the Congress government didn’t fulfil its poll promise, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab chief Bhagwant Mann had said, as the daily quotes, “The Congress government has done nothing during the past two years. Farmer suicides and unemployment still exist in Punjab.” However, Congress leaders are saying that the scheme is rolled out in a phased manner.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 04, 2019 05:10 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).