Lok Sabha Question No. 3274 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-16
Subject: Suicide Victims in Farming Sector
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: S. Jagathrakshakan

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3274

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 16 TH  MARCH, 2021

## SUICIDE VICTIMS IN FARMING SECTOR

## 3274.      SHRI S. JAGATHRAKSHAKAN:

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 7.4% of total/suicide victims belong to the farming sector;
- (b) the steps taken/to be taken by the Government keeping in mind the proportion of people dependent on agriculture as a means of livelihood is high and most farmers do not have job security and they are dependent on a number of factors to earn a livelihood; and
- (c)  whether  any  concrete  measures  are  being  taken  by  the  Government  to  reduce  these statistics  despite  the fact  that  the agriculture  sector  is  the  backbone of  our nation, if  so,  the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

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

- (a): 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  are  available  upto  2019  on  its website. A total number of 1,39,123 suicides were reported in the country during 2019, which includes 10,281 (5957 farmers and 4324 agricultural laborers) suicides in farming sector.
- (b)&(c):   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  and  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 is Annexed.

## 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 'HarMedh 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  (PMAASHA)'. 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, Rs.15.00 lakh crore for F.Y. 2020-21 and Rs 16.50 lakh crore for FY 2021-22.
- (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 short-term 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.

## (xvi) Several market reforms have been rolled out. These include

- a. Model APLMC (Promotion & Facilitation) Act, 2017
- b. Establishment  of  22,000  number  of  Gramin  Agriculture  Markets  (GrAMs)  as aggregation platforms
- c. Agri-Export Policy, that targets to double agri-exports by 2022
- d. The  Farmers  Produce  Trade  and  Commerce  (Promotion  &  Facilitation)  Act., 2020
- e. The Farmers (Empowerment & Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act.,  2020
- f. Amendments to Essential Commodities Act, 1955, that deregulates various agricommodities
- g. Promotion of 10,000 FPOs by 2024

(xvii) Creation of Corpus Funds

- a. Micro Irrigation Fund - Rs. 10,000 crore
- b. Agri-marketing Fund to strengthen eNAM and GrAMs - Rs. 2,000 crore
- c. Agricultural Infrastructure Fund (AIF) to build agri-logistics (backward & forward linkages) - Rs. 100,000 crore including Rs 500 crores for Bee-keeping

******