MONEYLENDERS, microfinance companies and banks will be booked for murder if any drought-hit farmer dies by suicide due to harassment, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said on Sunday. He was addressing a gathering during the inauguration of a 100- bed sub-district hospital at Wadi Budruk in Nanded district. Shinde said the Government will stand firmly behind farmers and provide all possible assistance, urging them not to lose hope amid the agrarian crisis. He warned financial institutions and recovery agents against harassing farmers for loan repayment, stressing that strict action would be taken against coercive recovery practices.

 

“Microfinance companies, banks and moneylenders should not harass the farmers who are in distress. If they do, they will not be spared. If any farmer dies by suicide due to harassment, murder cases will be registered,” he said. Shinde said the state Government had decided to extend immediate financial assistance of Rs 5,000 to farmers before Diwali. “This Rs 5000 as an aid is immediate help. The rest will be done as per (crop loss) surveys. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have also said that they will stand with the farmers of Maharashtra,” he said.