MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE (SHRI SBPBK SATYANARAYANA RAO)
(a)& (b) : As per the Debt Investment Survey, 1992 over 23% of rural households were found indebted
in the country in 1991. The percentages of rural households indebted in States of Punjab, Andhra
Pradesh, Mahrashtra, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are given as under :
Punjab 25.1% Andhra Pradesh 34.6% Mahrashtra 22.4% Bihar 16.2% Uttar Pradesh 18.9%
(c) & (d) : On the basis of information made available 386 farmers in the States of Andhra Pradesh,
Maharashtra and Punjab committed suicide during last three years on account of various reasons such
as family discord, alcohal and illicit drug use, indebtedness etc.
(e) & (f) : The Government of India constituted a Study Group in the context of the distress caused by
indebtedness of farmers in Andhra Pradesh. The Group examined the nature and extent of
indebtedness among the farmers of Andhra Pradesh and suggested measures for increasing the role of
financial institutions in the purveyal of credit, making available quality seeds and other agricultural
inputs and enforcement of private Money Lending Act more stringently. The recommendations of the
Group have already been forwarded to the State and other agencies concerned for taking appropriate
action in the matter.
