MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
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(a) to (g): 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). NCRB has published reports upto 2020 which are available on its website. The State-wise number of suicide committed by farmers including the State of Maharashtra, as per NCRB Report 2018 to 2020, is at Annexure-I.
In the ADSI Report 2020, the separate reasons for farmers’ suicide have not been given. However, the causes of suicides by persons (including farmers) are ‘Family Problems’, ‘Illness’, ‘Drug Abuse/ Addiction’, ‘Marriage Related Issues’, ‘Love Affairs’, ‘Bankruptcy or Indebtedness’, ‘Failure in Examination’, ‘Unemployment’, ‘Professional/Career Problem’ and ‘Property Dispute’.
Taking cognizance of the problem, Government had undertaken a study “Farmers Suicide in India: Causes and Policy Prescription” as an all India coordinated study in the work plan 2016-17 through the Institute of Social and Economic Change (ISEC), Bengaluru. The study covered 13 states of the country which included Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
The study concluded that frequent crop failure due to vagaries of monsoon, absence of assured water resources and attack of pest and diseases are the most important causes of farmers’ distress. The study had made inter-alia following suggestions to address the above problems:
(a) Bringing individual farmers under the ambit of crop insurance;
(b) Judicious use of available water is required;
(c) Government intervention through MSP covering cost of production plus reasonable profit margin;
(d) Risk hedging through crop and enterprise diversification should be encouraged to reduce farmers’ distress aiming at sustainable income; and
(e) Regulate informal credit market.
The fund allocated and released scheme-wise during the last three years is Annexure-II.
No such report on farmers committing suicide due to unavailability of fertilizer in the country especially in Madhya Pradesh has been received by the Government.
Agriculture 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 and budgetary support and 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. A list of various initiatives taken by the Government are at Annexure-III. All these steps of the Government of India are for the welfare of the farmers of the country.
The Government has adopted several developmental programmes, schemes, reforms and policies that focus on higher incomes for the farmers. All these policies & programmes are being supported by higher budgetary allocations, non-budgetary financial resources by way of creating Corpus Funds, and supplementary income transfers under PM-KISAN. The latest major intervention includes the ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat – Agriculture package’ which includes comprehensive market reforms and creation of ‘Agricultural Infrastructure Fund (AIF)’ worth Rs. 1 lakh crore.
The State Governments provides relief to families of farmers who commit suicide. A few State Governments provide relief to families of farmers who commit suicide and as per the information available, relief measures inter-alia includes; ex-gratia relief to the heirs of the deceased farmer, one time settlement to wipe off loans/ liabilities towards rehabilitation of the family members; and relief provided to the children of the deceased to get free education.
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