Telangana: Teacher Working for Farmers in Distress Wants Sops to Cover Tenants

Hyderabad: In the heart of Telangana, where lush fields mask a growing crisis, government school teacher Puli Raju, 52, has become an unexpected ray of hope for countless families. For 24 years, Raju has visited over 7,000 homes, offering support to those devastated by farmer suicides. His mission is to ensure government schemes include tenant farmers, who are disproportionately affected by borewell failures and systemic neglect.

According to NCRB reports, Telangana has recorded 32,460 farmer suicides from 1995 to 2021, with the national figure reaching 3,86,250. In Telangana, 90 per cent of these suicides are due to borewell failures. The state has 25,62,623 borewells, each costing about Rs 1 lakh. Tenant farmers, who often do not qualify for government support, are particularly vulnerable.

Raju, a teacher from Etigadda Kistapur village in Toguta mandal of Siddipet, has been a humanitarian force, supporting families affected by farmer suicides. “As a teacher and someone from a farming background, I have witnessed the devastating impact of these suicides on families, pushing them deeper into poverty and causing children to drop out of school,” Raju said.

Raju argues that tenant farmers are excluded from most government welfare schemes, which are instead pocketed by landlords who are engaged in other businesses while renting out their land. He urges the government to develop policies that specifically support tenant farmers to prevent further tragedies.