By IANS
Mumbai : The Maharashtra government has appointed University of Pune Vice-Chancellor Narendra Jadhav as a one-man commission to inquire into the spate of farmers’ suicides in the state.
Jadhav told IANS over phone from Pune that the terms of reference of the commission are likely to be finalized by Saturday. He is expected to submit his report within four to six weeks. The decision was announced by Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh in Aurangabad Thursday evening.
“Among the aspects I shall look into will be examining the various relief packages announced by the state government and the prime minister, their implementation, achievements, the pitfalls and whether the packages were adequate. I shall adopt a positive and constructive approach in this and involve all concerned, including the farmers and the banking community,” Jadhav said.
Maharashtra is considered among the worst-affected states in India where debt-ridden farmers have resorted to extreme steps like suicide. An estimated 200 have ended their lives in the first half of this year, according to some reports, especially in the economically backward regions of Marathwada and Vidarbha.
Jadhav is an economist with 30 years’ wide-ranging experience. He was with the Reserve Bank of India and served as advisor to the executive director of the International Monetary Fund and to the governor of the National Bank of Ethiopia.