Question : Farmer Suicides in Telangana

(a) whether it is a fact that the rate of farmer suicides in the State of Telangana is very high in comparison to that of other States;

(b) if so, the details thereof during the last five years, year-wise;

(c) the specific steps taken for the farmers of Telangana other than the general ongoing schemes to insure decrease in such incidents and for improvement in farmers’ income;

(d) whether any special funds have been allocated year-wise in the last five years for the same;

(e) if so, the details thereof; and

(f) if not, the reasons therefor?

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

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(a) & (b): The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) under the Ministry of Home Affairs compiles and disseminates information on suicides in its publication titled ‘Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India’ (ADSI). These Reports on suicides are available upto 2016 on its website. The state-wise data on suicide committed by farmers in 2014, 2015 and 2016, is at Annexure-I. The Reports for the year 2017 onwards have not been published.

(c) to (f): Agriculture being a State subject, the State Governments undertake implementation of programmes/ schemes for the development of the sector. Government of India supplements the efforts of the State Governments through various schemes/ programmes. The various schemes/ programmes of the Government of India are meant for the welfare of farmers by increasing production and remunerative returns to farmers. A list of various interventions taken by the Government is at Annexure-II. All these steps of the Government of India are for the welfare of the farmers of the country including Telangana.

The Government had constituted an Inter-Ministerial Committee in 2016 to recommend a strategy for Doubling of Farmers’ Income (DFI) by the year 2022 for the farmers in the country, including the farmers of Telangana. The DFI Committee submitted its report and thereafter the Government constituted an Empowered Body on 23.01.2019 for monitoring the implementation of the recommendation of the DFI Strategy.