Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee proudly claimed in the Assembly that under the rule of Trinamool Congress there have been no farmer suicides in Bengal (due to crop-related reasons), when, unfortunately, there have been over 12,000 suicides by farmers all over the rest of India.
This stark contrast is the result of the developmental projects being implemented, many of which are conceptions of the Chief Minister. A significant impact of these policies has been the increase by 3.2 times of the average annual income of farmers.
She went on to say that the Centre talks big on farmers’ insurance to cover crop losses due to natural disasters: the reality is that the State pays 60 per cent of the amount while the Centre pays only 40 per cent. A related point she raised: if the State pays the majority portion, why should the picture of the Prime Minister be there on the form?
Mamata Banerjee also said during her reply that the Bengal Government has given complete compensation of losses to 30 lakh farmers. The Government has set up cold storages and Krishak Bazars across the state, the latter helping in selling as well as storing of a farmer’s goods.
The Government has also removed the mutation fee for farmlands, and this should be model to be followed by the rest of the country, she said, to give some relief to the so many affected farmers.
Source: Sangbad Pratidin