File Photo: Nearly two months ago, Kunta Yelliah hanged himself. He was 53.
One year after its formation, Telangana is one of the richest states in the country, next only to Gujarat. Yet its Achilles Heel is proving to be farmer suicides, with at least 950 deaths reported in the new state. Forecast of a deficient rainfall could mean a second terrible year in succession. Last year, Telangana was among the most monsoon deficient states.
Relatives gathered at a farmer, Chandramogili's house in Warangal in mourning, he had committed suicide last month after paddy and cotton sown on three acres of land wilted because of no rains and water scarcity in the wells.
Yadamma, the farmer's wife, says she had told him they would sell the land and repay the loan. ''But he was probably not able to come to terms with that. Last year was bad. No rains and not sufficient and timely current to draw water from bore well, so crop dried up. Loans are over five lakh rupees but we never got any help from the government.''
At least 40 deaths have taken place in Warangal district alone in 2015. Farmers like Chandramogili did not benefit from the Rs 4,250 crore loan waiver scheme announced by the Telangana Rashtriya Samiti (TRS) government because he never cultivated on land that was registered on his name.
State government maintains that the official figure for farmer suicides is 100, but admits that they have not been able to do enough. "About 60 per cent of our population is dependent on agriculture. That is an area which Honourable Chief Minister is extremely concerned about. So we have to get our act right there, we have to ensure that the spate of suicide stop. That requires massive work by both Central and state government,'' said K.T.Rama Rao, Telangana information and technology minister.
Agriculture sector has seen a negative growth of 10 per cent in 2014-15, which employs close to 50 per cent of the state, but its contribution to state's GDP is only 18 per cent. Information technology, and software exports provides bulk of revenue to the state, but it is lack of infrastructure in agriculture that remains an area of concern.