India's prime minister got a dose of rural hardship yesterday while visiting a southern village where scores of debt-ridden farmers have killed themselves - a day after the country said its economy posted the world's second-highest growth rate.

　　"I know our farmer brothers are under the burden of debts and many have committed suicide because of this," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told the villagers in southern Andhra Pradesh state. "We will try to give a job to one member of each family and I will monitor this."

　　He also promised a small irrigation project and improvement of the primary school, roads and drainage to Somayjulapalle, where 53 farmers have taken their lives in the past six years after failing to pay off loans.

　　Singh's visit was his first out of New Delhi since taking power in May.

　　It's also an attempt to display his government's commitment to the poor, who voted overwhelmingly for Singh's Congress party in April-May elections after being left behind in the economic boom achieved during the government of Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

　　On Wednesday, the government reported that the economy grew by 8.2 percent in the financial year that ended on March 31, the fastest growth rate in 15 years. It is the world's second highest growth rate after China's 9.1 percent in 2003.

　　Singh was also expected to announce a financial assistance package for the state, Baru said.

　　His government presents its first national budget on July 8. It is expected to focus on rural development, with heavy spending on agriculture.

　　Farmers are often forced to borrow from money lenders, who charge exorbitant interest rates. Economic reforms have helped bring interest rates down at banks, but they have been hesitant to offer lower rates to farmers, fearing defaults.

　　(The Associated Press)