Mumbai, Feb 11 : The state Agriculture Department has taken a major policy decision to establish a Task Force to curb farmer suicides in Maharashtra.

Agriculture Commissioner Suraj Mandhare on Tuesday evening announced through a circular that this task force will recommend and implement comprehensive measures addressing mental health, social issues, economic challenges, and disasters arising from climate change.

The formation of a Task Force takes places ahead of the upcoming Budget Session of the state legislature starting from February 23.

The task force is headed by Rafique Naikwadi, Director of the Extension and Training Department and includes department officials Sunil Borkar, Uday Deshmukh, Ganesh Ghorpede, Jivan Bunde, Nandkishore Nainwad, Satyajit Shitole, and Sonali Shilkar, Dr Vinayak Hegana, Agricultural Sociologist and researcher working on farmers' mental health via the 'Shivar Foundation' and Srishti Doijad, Psychiatrist researching the mental health of women farmers.

â??While various schemes are already in place, farmers currently face a convergence of natural disasters due to climate change, crop loss, financial distress, and social stress. To help them navigate these crises and overcome depression, the department is adopting a 'Four-Point Integrated Approach' which focusses on technical guidance and technology in agriculture, financial assistance and stability, support systems and community support and psychological counselling,â?? said the circular.

The Task Force has been given a comprehensive mandate to study and do research on factors leading to farmer suicides, review the impact of climate change on agriculture and suggest remedies, develop strategic measures for suicide prevention and create models based on technology, finance, and mental health.

This apart, the Task Force will formulate action plans for pre-disaster preparation, immediate response during crises, and post-disaster rehabilitation. It will also create regional and district-level implementation plans and coordinate with the government, semi-government organisations, and NGOs.

Commenting on the formation of a Task Force, Agriculture Commissioner Suraj Mandhare said, "Farmer suicide is not just about providing compensation after the tragedy. We need to look at how to empower the farmer. This task force aims to link all Agriculture Department schemes with other departments to effectively increase both production and income."

Rafique Naikwadi, Chairman of the Task Force, stated that they will study previous committee reports and implement broader, modern measures suited to current needs.

On the other hand, Dr Vinayak Hegana, Agricultural Sociologist and researcher working on farmers' mental health via the 'Shivar Foundation' pointed out, â??Through the 'Shivar Sansad' and the 'Shivar Helpline', we have already prevented 2,500 farmers from committing suicide. This task force provides an opportunity to work at a policy level to build a sustainable, scientific, and humane model for farmers."

The establishment of a Task Force is important especially when state Relief and Rehabilitation Minister, Makrand Jadhav Patil, during the monsoon session of the state legislature held in July last year outlined several measures aimed at curbing farmer suicides, including compensation for crop losses due to natural calamities and the provision of Rs 12,000 annually to growers through the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi and Namo Shetkari Mahasanman schemes, jointly funded by the state and central governments.

Moreover, he further stated that the government is ensuring fair prices for agricultural produce, providing irrigation facilities, and operating counseling centres at the district level to support farmersâ?? mental health and well-being.

(Sanjay Jog can be contacted at sanjay.j@ians.in)

/IANS