Pune: Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar on Friday appealed to the farming community not to take any drastic steps and said that state govt is taking several measures to provide them relief. His remarks come in response to the opposition targeting govt over a farmer’s death by suicide in Ahilyanagar district’s Newasa taluka. In a video that Babasaheb Sarode allegedly recorded before killing himself earlier this week, surfaced on social media in which he appears to be blaming govt for not taking farmer-friendly decisions and not announcing a crop loan waiver. Opposition parties have hold the Mahayuti govt responsible for Sarode’s death. NCP (SP) state general secretary Rohit Pawar said the Mahayuti alliance formed the govt promising a loan waiver for farmers, but now its members are not even speaking about it. “Sarode exposed this govt before ending his life. On average, eight farmers are dying by suicide daily in the state, but govt is waiting for the right time before the elections to announce a loan waiver. If govt delays the announcement, more farmers will die by suicide,” he said.Prahar Janshakti party chief and former MLA Bachchu Kadu said Sarode’s video is quite heart-wrenching. “The chief minister is saying that there will not be a farm loan waiver until there is a drought. However, farmers in the state are facing huge losses due to a wet drought-like situation, but they are not getting any help from govt. The Mahayuti govt should fulfil the promise of a loan waiver they gave before the assembly election,” he said.Reacting to Sarode’s suicide, Ajit Pawar, during a media interaction in Pune, said, “We have already taken various steps such as providing zero percent crop loan, an annual financial assistance of Rs12,000 contributed by state and Central govts to every farmer, and waiving their electricity bills. I am appealing to all the farmers not to take any drastic steps.”As the rainfall activity in most parts of the state has reduced, the deputy chief minister said the process of panchanama to assess the damage has been undertaken by govt. “The situation by and large is under control and compensation will be disbursed accordingly,” he said.
