(a) whether any comprehensive study has been conducted by the experts
in regard to farmers` suicides during the year 2010-2011;
(b) if so, the details and the outcome thereof; and
(c) the details of the short/long term measures taken,
if any, to prevent such situation?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES
( DR. CHARAN DAS MAHANT)
(a) & (b): No, Madam.
(c): Details of measures taken by the Government to prevent suicide by farmers,
revitalize agriculture sector and improve conditions of farmers on sustainable
basis include following:
(i) Implementation of Rehabilitation Package covering 31 districts in Andhra Pradesh,
Karnataka, Kerala and Maharashtra, under which an amount of Rs.19910.70 crore has
been released till June 30, 2011.
(ii) Implementation of Agricultural Debt Waiver and Debt Relief Scheme, 2008, which
benefitted about 3.69 crore farmers, involving debt waiver/relief of Rs. 65,318.33
crore, as per provisional figures.
(iii) Increasing credit flow to agriculture sector to Rs. 468291.28 crore, as of March,
2011. Target of credit flow for 2011-12 has been raised to Rs. 475000 crore. against
which achievement as of November 2011 is Rs. 294023 crore.
(iv) Providing Kisan Credit Card (KCC) to all eligible and willing farmers in
time bound manner to facilitate flow of credit to farmers and increase financial
inclusion. Up to October 2011, 10.78 crore KCC have been issued.
(v) Providing interest rate subvention for timely repayment of crop loan up to
Rs. 3 lakh, whereby effective rate of interest for such farmers who repay their
crop loan on time has come down to 4% per annum.
(vi) This benefit of pre-harvest interest rate subvention is now available also to
small & marginal farmers having KCC for further period of up to six months post-harvest
on same rate as for crop loan against negotiable warehouse receipt for keeping their
produce in warehouse.
(vii) Announcement of Minimum Support Price (MSP) for identified agricultural
commodities every year to ensure remunerative price and increase farmers` income.
MSP of major agricultural commodities has been stepped up significantly e.g., during
2004-05 to 2011-12, range of increase in MSP is from 80% in case of Groundnut to
148% for pulses (Moong).
Other measures taken by Government, inter-alia, include significant increase in
public investment in agriculture sector through implementation of various schemes
such as Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, National Food Security Mission, National
Horticulture Mission, National Mission on Micro-Irrigation, Watershed Management,
Soil Health & Fertility management etc.