Agricultural indebtness in Punjab

A report on the staggering scale of rural indebtness in East Punjab:

According to a recent report of the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO), each Punjab farmer has a debt of Rs 41,576, against the national average of Rs 12,505.

and in Vidarbha:

Farm suicides in Vidarbha since November 1 have crossed the 100 mark. There have been 200 since June 2. But the last 100 have occurred in less than two months. A little more than 65 farmers have taken their own lives in December alone. The total for the year is over 300. This month, the Maharashtra Government admitted to over 1,000 farmer's suicides in the State since 2001.

technorati tags:
India, Punjab Agriculture Economy India