Lok Sabha Question No. 5061 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-27
Subject: Mental Counselling for Farmers’ Children
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: SISIR KUMAR ADHIKARI

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5061

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 27 TH  MARCH, 2018

## MENTAL COUNSELLING FOR FARMERS' CHILDREN

5061.  SHRI SISIR KUMAR ADHIKARI:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware that the children of the farmers who committed suicide do not receive financial and physical support through mental counseling; and
- (b) if  so,  the  details  of  rehabilitation  and  support  extended  to  the  families  and  children  of such farmers to enable them to cope with acute trauma during the last five years?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंालय म राय मंी (SHRI PARSHOTTAM RUPALA)

- (a) & (b): State Governments provide relief to families of farmers who commit suicide. As per information available from the States, the details of relief etc. being provided are as follows:
-  State  Government  of  Maharashtra  gives  ex-gratia  relief  of  Rs.  1.00  lakh  to  the heirs of the deceased farmer. The three norms of eligibility for ex-gratia are crop failure,  indebtedness  and  harassment  due  to  inability  to  pay  agriculture  related loans.
-  The Punjab Government provides Rs. 3.00 lakh compensation to victims' family w.e.f 23/07/2015.
-  Government  of  Andhra  Pradesh  provides  Rs.  5.00  lakh  compensation  to  the family  members  of  the  deceased  farmers.  Of  this  Rs.  1.50  lakh  is  one  time settlement to wipe off loans/ liabilities and Rs. 3.50 lakh towards rehabilitation of the family members.
-  The  Government  of  Telangana  provides  ex-gratia  relief  of  Rs.  5.00  lakh  to  the family  of  the  deceased  farmer  towards  rehabilitation  and  Rs.  1.00  lakh  as  a onetime settlement to wipe off all the liabilities of the family.
-  In  Karnataka  an  amount  of  Rs.  5.00  lakh  relief  is  provided  to  the  family  w.e.f. 1.4.2015. The children of the deceased get free education up to post graduation including hostel facility.

Under  the  National  Mental  Health  Programme  (NMHP),  no  financial  assistance  is provided to individuals or families of farmers who commit suicide. However, the Government is supporting  implementation  of  the  District  Mental  Health  Programme  (DMHP) under  NMHP  in 517  districts  of  the  country  for  detection,  management  and  treatment  of  mental  disorders/ illness.      Support  is  provided  under  DMHP  for  recruitment  of  Mental  Health  professionals  at District, CHC & PHC level for providing various services including, inter-alia, suicide prevention services.  The  DMHP  has  been  restructured  to  include  additional  components  like  suicide prevention  services,  work  place  stress  management,  life  skills  training  and  counseling  in schools  and  colleges.  Support  is  also  provided  for  Central/  State  Mental  Health  Authorities, Research and Training and for Information, Education and Communication (IEC) activities.

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