Punjab sets up panel to look into farmer suicides

Punjab has set up a high-level task force to give a new direction to the state's agricultural economy and to look into reasons for suicide by farmers, it was announced here on Monday.

The task force will be headed by Punjab Farmers Commission chairman G.S. Kalkat, an official statement said.

The first meeting of the task force would be held in the next month in which top government functionaries, progressive farmers, agricultural experts, sociologists and others will prepare a draft to restructure state's agriculture.

It would also address problems faced by the agriculture sector, including rising number of farmer suicides, increasing input costs, falling water table and increasing use of chemicals.

The NITI Aayog has directed the state governments to set up a task force for preparing a detailed note on agriculture.

Two debt-ridden farmers have committed suicide by consuming poison in the state this month, an official told IANS.