Question : Debt Liberation for Women Farmers

(a) whether there has been a demand for debt liberation for women farmers in farm suicide families from civil society groups like MAKAAM, in addition to a demand for a separate policy for such women farmers and if so, the details thereof;

(b) the details of the proposals of the Central Government to ensure a uniform policy of support in all States of India for such farm suicide families including debt liberation for survivors in the family;

(c) whether the “Housewife” category of suicides recorded in India hides a number of suicides of women farmers in India, when the definition of farmer as given in National Policy for Farmers 2007 is adopted; and

(d) if so, is there any proposal to differentiate the presentation of data into rural and urban suicides for better monitoring of the situation and addressal of problems?

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

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(a): There is no such demand received from civil society groups like MAKAAM.

(b): Agriculture is being a State subject, the State Governments take appropriate measures for development of agriculture in the State. However, Government of India supplements the efforts of States through appropriate policy measures, budgetary support and through various schemes/ programmes. The various schemes/ programmes of the Government of India are meant for the welfare of farmers by increasing production, remunerative returns and income support to farmers.

(c): The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) under the Ministry of Home Affairs compiles and disseminates information on suicides in its publication titled ‘Accidental Deaths

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and Suicides in India’ (ADSI). These Reports on suicides upto 2019 are available on its website. As per NCRB report for year 2019, the suicide committed by Housewife does not include women farmers. The total number of Housewives who committed suicide is 21,359 while the suicides committed by persons engaged in farming sector is as under:

Male farmers: 9,312
Female farmers: 969
Total: 10,281

(d): Government conducted a study titled ‘Farmer Suicides: An All India Study’ during 2016-17 to ascertain various reasons for the growing number of farmers suicide in the country. This Pan-India study was carried out in 13 states namely: Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Punjab, Maharashtra, Gujarat, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka covering 46 districts, 138 talukas, 388 villages and 528 sample victim households. The reference year of the study was decided as the agriculture year 2015-16 (June, 2015 – May, 2016). The main objectives of the study were as follows:

i) to analyze the incidence and spread of farmer suicides in selected states and to map the hotspots of suicide.
ii) to study the socio-economic profile, cropping pattern and profitability in the victim’s households,
iii) to study the causes leading to suicides.
iv) to recommend suitable policies to avert farmer suicide.

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