The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report shows decline in farmers’ suicides in 2016 compared to the previous year. However, reasons for the suicides is not mentioned in the report.

A total of 11,379 persons involved in farming sector had committed suicide in 2016, accounting for 8.7 per cent of total suicide victims (131,008) in the country. Out of this 6,270 are farmers / cultivators and 5,109 are agricultural labourers.

The report shows a decline in the number of farmer suicides from 12,602 in 2015 and 12,360 in 2014. In 2015, A total of 12,602 persons involved in farming sector (consisting of 8,007 farmers / cultivators and 4,595 agricultural labourers) committed suicide.

Maharashtra saw a 20 per cent dip from the previous year, in line with the national trend. However, the state continued to top the list with 2,550 (32.2 per cent) of the 6,270 farmers’ suicides recorded nationwide. It was followed by Karnataka (18.3 per cent), Madhya Pradesh (11.6 per cent) and Andhra Pradesh (7.1 per cent).

Out of 6,270 farmer / cultivator suicides, a total of 5,995 were male and 275 were female. Out of 5,109 suicides committed by agricultural labourers, 4,476 were male and 633 were female.

Some states such as West Bengal, Bihar, Nagaland, Chandigarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu, Delhi and Lakshadweep reported zero suicides of farmers as well as agricultural labourers.

No mention on reasons

In the 2015 NCRB report, it had included reasons behind farmers’ suicides under categories such as farm distress, crop failure, loans, family problems, illness, etc. ‘Bankruptcy or indebtedness’ and ‘farming related issues’ were reported as major causes of suicides among farmers / cultivators, accounting for 38.7 per cent (3,097 out of 8,007 suicides) and 19.5 per cent (1,562 out of 8,007 suicides) of total such suicides respectively during 2015. This was missing in the latest report.

More than 12,000 suicides in three years

According to a reply in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, more than 12,000 farmers have committed suicide in the state between 2015 and 2018. Out of the total 12,021 farmer suicides during the three-year period, 6,888 cases were found to be eligible for government aid after scrutiny by district-level committees, the state government said. Between January and March 2019, 610 farmers have committed suicide, out of which 192 cases were eligible for financial assistance.

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