<p>Thiruvananthapuram: A political row has erupted in Kerala over the death of a 55-year-old farmer in Alappuzha district who allegedly died by suicide owing to financial stress caused by delays in getting payments from the government for paddy procurement.</p><p>As news of the farmer's death spread, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan accused the government of indulging in extravaganza in a time of financial crunches. The opposition Congress and BJP also held the CPI(M) government responsible for the incident, even as state agriculture minister P Prasad denied the allegations. </p><p>The BJP blocked the Ambalapuzha-Thiruvalla state highway in Alappuzha with the deceased farmer's body on Saturday evening.</p><p>The farmer, identified as K G Prasad hailing from Thakazhi in Alappuzha, reportedly consumed a poisonous substance on Friday evening. Though he was rushed to hospital, he died in the early hours of Saturday.</p><p>Prasad's relatives and friends alleged that some banks denied personal loans to him citing his low CIBIL score, which was due to the loan given on the basis of a Paddy Receipt Sheet, popularly known among farmers as 'PRS loan'. PRS loans are extended by the bank to farmers to overcome the delay in getting paddy procurement payments from the government. The state government repays these loan.</p>.Kerala hamlet witnesses intense protests against soil quarrying.<p>An audio message, believed to be that of Prasad in this regard, has also been doing the rounds in the public domain. The police are also learnt to have recovered a suicide note.</p><p>Prasad, who was a BJP activist, was carrying out cultivation on five acres of land.</p><p>Agriculture minister P Prasad told reporters that though he was unaware of the specific incident, no farmer would face any financial problem owing to the PRS loan.</p><p>Meanwhile, the police are yet to make any statements pertaining to the incident. The local police said that the investigation was only in the initial stages and statements of the family members of the deceased need to be recorded to ascertain the cause of death.</p><p>The Governor who visited the family of the deceased told reporters that the government that spent huge amounts on extravaganza and for personal staff of ministers were ignoring the genuine needs of farmers and other sections in distress.</p><p>Opposition leader V D Satheesan of the Congress said Prasad was yet another victim of the state government's neglect towards farmers. BJP alleged that even though the Centre paid the amounts for paddy procured, the state government was delaying payments to farmers.</p>
<p>Thiruvananthapuram: A political row has erupted in Kerala over the death of a 55-year-old farmer in Alappuzha district who allegedly died by suicide owing to financial stress caused by delays in getting payments from the government for paddy procurement.</p><p>As news of the farmer's death spread, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan accused the government of indulging in extravaganza in a time of financial crunches. The opposition Congress and BJP also held the CPI(M) government responsible for the incident, even as state agriculture minister P Prasad denied the allegations. </p><p>The BJP blocked the Ambalapuzha-Thiruvalla state highway in Alappuzha with the deceased farmer's body on Saturday evening.</p><p>The farmer, identified as K G Prasad hailing from Thakazhi in Alappuzha, reportedly consumed a poisonous substance on Friday evening. Though he was rushed to hospital, he died in the early hours of Saturday.</p><p>Prasad's relatives and friends alleged that some banks denied personal loans to him citing his low CIBIL score, which was due to the loan given on the basis of a Paddy Receipt Sheet, popularly known among farmers as 'PRS loan'. PRS loans are extended by the bank to farmers to overcome the delay in getting paddy procurement payments from the government. The state government repays these loan.</p>.Kerala hamlet witnesses intense protests against soil quarrying.<p>An audio message, believed to be that of Prasad in this regard, has also been doing the rounds in the public domain. The police are also learnt to have recovered a suicide note.</p><p>Prasad, who was a BJP activist, was carrying out cultivation on five acres of land.</p><p>Agriculture minister P Prasad told reporters that though he was unaware of the specific incident, no farmer would face any financial problem owing to the PRS loan.</p><p>Meanwhile, the police are yet to make any statements pertaining to the incident. The local police said that the investigation was only in the initial stages and statements of the family members of the deceased need to be recorded to ascertain the cause of death.</p><p>The Governor who visited the family of the deceased told reporters that the government that spent huge amounts on extravaganza and for personal staff of ministers were ignoring the genuine needs of farmers and other sections in distress.</p><p>Opposition leader V D Satheesan of the Congress said Prasad was yet another victim of the state government's neglect towards farmers. BJP alleged that even though the Centre paid the amounts for paddy procured, the state government was delaying payments to farmers.</p>