Compensation for farmers' kin who committed suicide

Chief Minister Y S Jaganmohan Reddy on Wednesday announced a compensation of Rs 7 lakh each to kin of the farmers that committed suicide during the tenure of Nara Chandrababu Naidu government (2014-19).

Speaking to district collectors through video conferencing from his Tadepalli residence, the chief minister said that 1513 farmers have committed suicide in the past five years, but only 391 farmers were given compensation.

"I am asking the district collectors to personally visit the grieving families and handover the compensation," Jagan said. He wanted the collectors to also rope in local legislators when they visit the farmer’s family. The CM also mooted the idea of enacting a legislation that will allow ex-gratia to farmers in times of such tragedies. He also wanted stricter verification system in place, so that only the affected family received the lump sum amount.

However, the announcement came at a time when the Jagan government is facing flak from the Opposition for failing to supply seeds to farmers in time for the kharif season.

Farmers have been staging protests in parts of Rayalaseema region where long queues for seed has come back to haunt the farmers community.

TDP deputy leader in the Assembly, K Atchan Naidu, has sought the Assembly speaker Tammmineni Seetharama to allow discussion on agrarian crisis in the state during the ensuing budget session from Thursday.