Lok Sabha Question No. 2061 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-14
Subject: Suicide by Farmers
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: HARISHCHANDRA DEORAM CHAVAN, SHIVAJI ADHALRAO PATIL, ANANDRAO  ADSUL, GOWDAR MALLIKARJUNAPPA SIDDESHWARA, SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE, RAVINDRA VISHWANATH GAIKWAD, C. MAHENDRAN, J.C. DIVAKAR REDDY, VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT, Y. S. AVINASH REDDY, KRUPAL BALAJI TUMANE, PRATAPRAO GANPATRAO JADHAV, SONA RAM CHOUDHARY, RAMESWAR TELI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2061

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  14 TH  MARCH, 2017

## SUICIDE BY FARMERS

2061.  SHRI HARISHCHANDRA CHAVAN:

SHRI ADHALRAO PATIL SHIVAJIRAO:

SHRI ANANDRAO ADSUL:

SHRI G.M. SIDDESHWARA:

DR. SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE:

PROF. RAVINDRA VISHWANATH GAIKWAD:

SHRI C. MAHENDRAN:

SHRI J.C. DIVAKAR REDDY:

SHRI VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT:

SHRI Y.S. AVINASH REDDY:

SHRI KRUPAL BALAJI TUMANE:

SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV:

COL. SONARAM CHOUDHARY:

SHRI RAMESWAR TELI:

Will  the  Minister  of  AGRICULTURE  AND  FARMERS  WELFARE      ‡ãðŠãäÓã एवं  कसान कयाण ½ãâ¨ããè be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  crop  failure,  indebtedness,  inadequate  remunerative  prices  for  farm produce and drought are the main reasons for suicide by farmers in the country and if so, the details thereof and the response of the Government thereto;
- (b) whether the present policy for tackling the suicide cases of farmers is ineffective and if so, the response of the Government thereto;
- (c) whether the Hon'ble Supreme Court has recently suggested the Government to bring out a national policy over the farmer suicides and evolve a mechanism to protect their crops from natural calamities/disaster and a holistic approach for their well being and if so, the details thereof and the steps taken by the Government in this regard; and
- (d) whether the Government has prepared any specific plan/policy to prevent suicide by the farmers in the country and if so, the details thereof and the steps being taken in this regard?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF  STATE IN THE  MINISTRY OF  AGRICULTURE AND  FARMERS  WELFARE

‡ãðŠãäÓã एवं  कसान  कयाण ½ãâ¨ããÊã¾ã  ½ãñâ  Àã·¾ã  ½ãâ¨ããè (  SHRI PARSHOTTAM RUPALA)

(a) to (d): 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). These Reports on suicides upto 2015

are  available  at  its  website.    As  per  ADSI  Report,  'Bankruptcy  or  Indebtedness'  and 'Farming  Related  Issues'  are  reported  as  major  causes  of  suicides  among  farmers/ cultivators.  The  other  prominent  causes  of  farmers/  cultivators  suicides  are  Family Problems, Illness, etc.

Agriculture  is  a  State  subject  and  the  State  Governments  take  appropriate measures for development of agriculture in the State. State Governments are primarily responsible  for  the  growth  and  development  of  agriculture  sector  in  their  respective States.  However, the Union Government is according high priority for its progress and for improving the welfare of the farmers.  Government of India has taken several steps to revitalize agriculture sector and improve economic condition of farming community on sustainable  basis  by  increasing  investment,  improving  farm  practices,  creating  rural infrastructure and delivery of credit, technology and other inputs, such   as, extension, marketing, etc.  Keeping in mind the dependence of a large section of India's society on agriculture and also the need for ensuring food and nutrition security, the Government supplements the efforts of States through appropriate policy measures and budgetary support.  To this end, Government of India has taken several steps,  which, inter-alia, include the following schemes/programmes, viz: Soil Health Card (SHC) scheme, Neem Coated Urea, Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY), Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY), National Agriculture Market scheme (e-NAM).

Further, the Government provides interest subvention of 3% on short-term crop loans up to Rs.3.00 lakh.  Presently, loan is available to farmers at an interest rate of 7%  per  annum,  which  gets  reduced  to  4%  on  prompt  repayment.  Further,  under Interest Subvention Scheme 2015-16, in order to provide relief   to   the   farmers   on occurrence  of  natural  calamities,  the  interest  subvention  of  2%  shall  continue  to  be available to banks for the first year on the restructured amount and such restructured loans  shall  attract  normal  rate  of  interest  from  the  second  year  onwards  as  per  the policy  laid  down  by  RBI.   The  said  provision  is  continued  in  the  Interest  Subvention Scheme of the year  2016-17. The benchmark for initiating relief measures by banks has also been reduced to 33% crop loss, in line with the National Disaster Management Framework.

In  order  to  ensure  that  all  eligible  farmers  are  provided  with  hassle-free  and timely credit for their agricultural operations, the Government has introduced the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme, which enables them to purchase agricultural inputs such as seeds,  fertilizers,  pesticides,  etc.  and  draw  cash  to  satisfy  their  consumption  needs. The KCC Scheme has since been simplified by providing the farmers with ATM enabled debit card based on one-time documentation and built-in cost escalation in the limit, etc. Further, under the Interest Subvention Scheme, post-harvest loans against Negotiable Warehouse Receipts (NWRs) provided by banks to Small Farmers / Marginal Farmers having  Kisan  Credit  Card  (KCC),  are  also  available  at   the  interest  rate  of  7%   per annum for a period of upto six months, in order to discourage distress sale of produce by small and marginal farmers.

In order to bring small, marginal, tenant farmers, oral lessees, etc. into the fold of institutional credit, Joint Liability Groups (JLGs) have been promoted by banks.

Under  the  Pradhan  Mantri  Fasal  Bima  Yojana  (PMFBY),  which  has  been introduced from Kharif 2016, the farmers have to pay only nominal premium of only 2% for  all  Kharif  crops,  1.5%  for  all  Rabi  crops  and  5%  for  annual  commercial  and horticultural  crops  and  the  balance  is  paid  by  the  Government  under  PMFBY.  This scheme provides insurance cover at all stages of the crop cycle including post-harvest risks,  in  specified instances.    The scheme  is a protection shield against instances of farmer suicides because of crop failures or damage due to natural calamities.

Minimum Support Price (MSP) is  also notified for  both  Kharif  and  Rabi  crops based  on  the  recommendations  of  the  Commission  on  Agriculture  Costs  &  Prices (CACP).  The  Commission  collects & analyses data on cost of activation  and recommends  MSP.    The  Government  has  also  declared  bonus  on  pulses  for  Kharif 2016 over and above the approved MSP.  Even during last year, Government offered bonus over and above the MSP in case of pulses.  Further, the Government undertakes procurement of wheat and paddy under its 'MSP operations'. In addition, Government implements  Market  Intervention  Scheme  (MIS)  for  procurement  of  agricultural  and horticultural  commodities  not  covered  under  the  MSP  Scheme,  on  the  request  of State/UT Government. The MIS is implemented in order to protect the growers of these commodities from making distress sale in the  event  of  bumper  crop  when  the  prices tend to fall below the economic level/cost of production.

The Hon'ble Supreme Court has recently suggested the Government to consider all possible options for well being of the farmers. The steps taken in this regard by the Government are as stated above.

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