(PTI)
The Supreme Court today expressed grave concern over farmers’ suicide due to indebtedness and crop failure and said it felt the government was going in a “wrong direction” in tackling the real problem.
Asking the Centre to apprise it of the policy roadmap to address the burning issue, a bench headed by Chief Justice J S Khehar said the issue of farmers’ suicide was of “extreme importance” and paying compensation to the families of such victims “post-facto” was not the real solution.
“This issue is of extreme importance. Tentatively, we feel that you are going in a wrong direction. Farmers take loan from banks and when they are unable to repay, they commit suicide. The remedy to the problem is not to pay money to farmers after the suicide, but you should have schemes to prevent this.
“Farmers’ suicides have been happening for so many decades and it is surprising that no action has been taken to address the causes behind suicides.” The bench, also comprising Justices D Y Chandrachud and S K Kaul, said “if the matter is moved on a right track, a lot can be achieved” and fixed the plea for further hearing on March 27.
