Lok Sabha Question No. 3872 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-03-17
Subject: Farmer Suicides in India
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: K. Jayakumar, Sanjay Haribhau Jadhav

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3872

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  17 TH  MARCH, 2020

## FARMER SUICIDES IN INDIA

3872.  DR. K. JAYAKUMAR: SHRI SANJAY JADHAV:

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

- (a) whether the reports of suicides by farmers have been received from several parts of the country despite the implementation of rehabilitation and debt relief packages and if so, the details thereof from 2004 till date and the reaction of the Government thereto;
- (b) the number of cases of farmer's suicides came to light during the current year;
- (c) whether the statistics of farmers' suicides in the country indicate increase or decrease in farmer suicides;
- (d) the steps taken/being taken to check farmers' suicides, if there is an increase in such cases; and
- (e) whether the Government proposes to take additional measures to provide help to the farmers and to stop them from committing suicide, if so, the details thereof, State-wise?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी ( SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

- (a) to (c): 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 2018 are available on its website.
- (d) & (e): Agriculture  being  a  State  subject,  the  State  Governments  take  appropriate measures  for  development  of  agriculture  in  the  State.  However,  Government  of  India supplements  the  efforts  of  States  through  appropriate  policy  measures  and  budgetary support. The Government of India supplements the efforts of the State Governments through various  schemes/  programmes.  The  various  schemes/  programmes  of  the  Government  of India are meant for the welfare of farmers by increasing production, remunerative returns and income  support  to  farmers.  A  list  of  various  initiatives  taken  by  the  Government  are  at Annexure-I. All these steps of the Government of India are for the welfare of the farmers of the country.

## Annexure-I

## List of various interventions and schemes launched for the benefit of farmers.

- (i) With a view to provide income support to all farmers' families across the country, to enable them to take  care  of  expenses  related  to  agriculture  and  allied  activities  as  well  as  domestic  needs,  the Central  Government  started  a  new  Central  Sector  Scheme,  namely,  the  Pradhan  Mantri  Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN). The scheme aims to provide a payment of Rs. 6000/- per year, in three 4-monthly installments of Rs. 2000/- to the farmers families, subject to certain exclusions relating to higher income groups.
- (ii) Further with a view to provide social security net for Small and Marginal Farmers (SMF) as they have minimal or no savings to provide for old age and to support them in the event of consequent loss of livelihood, the Government has decided to implement another new Central Sector Scheme i.e. Pradhan  Mantri  Kisan  Maan-Dhan  Yojana  (PM-KMY) for  providing  old  age  pension  to  these farmers. Under this Scheme, a minimum fixed pension of Rs. 3000/- will be provided to the eligible small and marginal farmers, subject to certain exclusion clauses, on attaining the age of 60 years.
- (iii) With  a  view  to  provide  better  insurance  coverage  to  crops  for  risk  mitigation,  a  crop  insurance scheme  namely  Pradhan Mantri  Fasal  Bima  Yojana  (PMFBY) was  launched  from  Kharif  2016 season. This scheme provides insurance cover for all stages of the crop cycle including post-harvest risks in specified instances, with low premium contribution by farmers.
- (iv) Giving  a  major  boost  for  the  farmer's  income,  the  Government  has  approved  the  increase  in  the Minimum Support Price (MSPs) for all Kharif & Rabi crops for 2018-19 season at a level of at least 150 percent of the cost of production.
- (v) Implementation of flagship scheme of distribution of Soil Health Cards to farmers so that the use of fertilizers can be rationalized.
- (vi) 'Per drop more crop' initiative under which drip/sprinkler irrigation is being encouraged for optimal utilization of water, reducing cost of inputs and increasing productivity.
- (vii) 'Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY)' for promoting organic farming.
- (viii) Launch  of  e-NAM  initiative  to  provide  farmers  an  electronic  transparent  and  competitive  online trading platform.
- (ix) Under  'Har  Medh  Par  Ped',  agro  forestry  is  being  promoted  for  additional  income.  With  the amendment of Indian Forest Act, 1927, Bamboo has been removed from the definition of trees. A restructured  National  Bamboo  Mission  has  been  launched  in  the  year  2018  to  promote  bamboo plantation on non forest government as well as private land and emphasis on value addition, product development and  markets.
- (x) Giving a major boost to the pro-farmer initiatives, the Government has approved a new Umbrella Scheme  'Pradhan  Mantri Annadata  Aay  Sanrakshan  Abhiyan  (PM-AASHA)'.  The  Scheme  is aimed at ensuring remunerative prices to the farmers for their produce as announced in the Union Budget  for  2018. This  is  an  unprecedented  step  taken  by  Govt.  of  India  to  protect  the  farmers' income which is expected to go a long way towards the welfare of farmers.
- (xi) Bee keeping has been promoted under Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) to  increase  the  productivity  of  crops  through  pollination  and  increase  the  honey  production  as  an additional source of income of farmers.
- (xii) To  ensure  flow  of  adequate  credit,  Government  sets  annual  target  for  the  flow  of  credit  to  the agriculture sector, Banks have been consistently surpassing the annual target. The agriculture credit flow target has been set at Rs. 13.50 lakh crore for the F.Y.2019-20 and Rs.15.00 lakh crore for F.Y. 2020-21.
- (xiii) Extending  the  reach  of  institutional  credit  to  more  and  more  farmers  is priority  area  of  the Government and to achieve this goal, the Government provides interest subvention of 2% on shortterm crop loans up to Rs.3.00 lakh. Presently, loan is available to farmers at an interest rate of 4% per annum on prompt repayment.
- (xiv) Further,  under  Interest  Subvention  Scheme  2018-19,  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. In order to discourage distress sale by farmers and to encourage them to store their produce in warehouses against negotiable receipts, the benefit of interest subvention will be available to small and marginal farmers having Kisan Credit Card for a further period of upto six months post harvest on the same rate as available to crop loan.
- (xv) The  Government  has  extended  the  facility  of  Kisan  Credit  Card  (KCC)  to  the  farmers  practicing animal husbandry and fisheries related activities.  All processing fee, inspection, ledger folio charges and all other services charges have been waived off for fresh renewal of KCC. Collateral fee loan limit  for  short  term  agri-credit  has  been  raised  from  Rs.1.00  lakh  to  Rs.1.60  lakh.    KCC  will  be issued within 14 days from the receipt of completed application.

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