Lok Sabha Question No. 314 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-22
Subject: Studies on Farmer Suicides
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Rahul Gandhi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 314

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 22 ND  JULY, 2025

## STUDIES ON FARMER SUICIDES

## 314.   SHRI RAHUL GANDHI:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ͪष और ͩकसान कãयाण मंğी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware that chronic agrarian distress has contributed to an increase in farmer suicides across the country, if so, the details of farmer suicides in the country since 2020, State-wise;
- (b) whether the Government has conducted or commissioned any studies or assessments to evaluate the causes of increasing farmer suicides and the extent of agrarian distress in different regions, if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  the  details  of  any  financial  relief,  compensation  or rehabilitation  packages  provided  to families of farmers who have committed suicide since 2020, State-wise;
- (d) the  details  of the  steps  taken  to  ensure timely  disbursal  of claims  under  the  Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and other related schemes; and
- (e)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  provide  a  legally  guaranteed  Minimum  Support Price (MSP) to farmers, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ͪष एवं ͩकसान कãयाण राÏय मंğी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)

- (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).  The  report  till  2022  is  available  on  NCRB  website (https://ncrb.gov.in). Reasons for suicide are not given in the report.

Agriculture is a State Subject. State Governments provide ex gratia or compensation  as  per  State  norms.  Government  of  India  supports  the  States  through appropriate policy measures & budgetary allocation for schemes for the welfare of farmers. Schemes  target  increasing  production,  remunerative  returns  and  income  support  to farmers. The Government has substantially enhanced the budget allocation of Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) from Rs. 21, 933.50 crore BE during 2013-14 to

Rs.  1,27,290.16  crore  BE  during  2025-26.  Major  schemes/  programmes  initiated  by DA&FW to enhance overall income of farmers and remunerative returns in the agriculture sector are as under:

1.  Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN)
2.  Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan Dhan Yojana (PM-KMY)
3.  Pradhan  Mantri  Fasal  Bima  Yojana  (PMFBY)/  Restructured  Weather  Based  Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS)
4.  Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS)
5.  Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF)
6.  Formation and Promotion of 10,000 new Farmer Producers Organizations (FPOs)
7.  National Bee Keeping and Honey Mission (NBHM)
8.  Namo Drone Didi
9.  National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF)
10.  Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA)
11.  Agri Fund for Start-Ups & Rural Enterprises' (AgriSURE)
12.  Per Drop More Crop (PDMC)
13.  Sub-Mission on Agriculture Mechanization (SMAM)
14.  Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY)
15.  Soil Health & Fertility (SH&F)
16.  Rainfed Area Development (RAD)
17.  Agroforestry
18.  Crop Diversification Programme (CDP)
19.  Sub-Mission on Agriculture Extension (SMAE)
20.  Sub-Mission on Seed and Planting Material (SMSP)
21.  National Food Security and Nutrition Mission (NFSNM)
22.  Integrated Scheme for Agriculture Marketing (ISAM)
23.  Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH)
24.  National Mission on Edible Oils (NMEO)-Oil Palm
25.  National Mission on Edible Oils (NMEO)-Oilseeds
26.  Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region
27.  Digital Agriculture Mission
28.  National Bamboo Mission

(d): Pradhan  Mantri  Fasal  Bima  Yojana  (PMFBY)  is  implemented  through  the  States wherein  all  the  selection  of  insurance  model,  selection  of  Insurance  Companies  through transparent bidding process, enrollment of farmers, assessment of crop yield/crop loss for calculation of admissible claims etc.  are carried out by the concerned State Government or Joint  Committee  of  State  Government  officials  and  concerned  insurance  company.  The roles and responsibilities of each stakeholder are defined in the Operational Guidelines of the scheme for the proper execution. Majority of the claims are settled  within the stipulated timelines by the insurance companies.

Various steps to strengthen implementation of PMFBY and bring transparency and timely settlement of claims are:

-  National  Crop  Insurance  Portal  (NCIP)  has  been  developed  as  a  single  source  of data ensuring subsidy payment,  co-ordination, transparency, dissemination of information  and  delivery  of  services  including  direct  online  enrollment  of  farmers, uploading/obtaining  individual  insured  farmer's  details  for  better  monitoring  and  to ensure transfer of claim electronically to the farmer's Bank Account.
-  A  dedicated  module  'Digiclaim  Module'  has  been  operationalized  for  payment  of claims from Kharif 2022 onwards.  It involves integration of NCIP with Public Finance Management  System  (PFMS)  and  accounting  system  of  Insurance  Companies  to provide  timely  &  transparent  processing  of  all  claims  w.e.f.  Kharif  2024.  In  case payment  is  not  made  timely  by  Insurance  Company,  penalty  of  12%  is  autocalculated and levied through NCIP.
-  Delinking  of  Central  Government  share  of  premium  subsidy  from  that  of  State Governments has been implemented so that farmers can get proportionate claims relating to the Central Government share.

(e): Government fixes Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) for mandated crops based on the  recommendations  of  the  Commission  for  Agricultural  Costs  &  Prices  (CACP)  after considering the views of concerned State Governments and Central Ministries/ Departments.

The Union Budget for 2018-19 had announced the pre-determined principle to keep MSPs at levels of one and half times of the cost of production.  Accordingly, Government had consistently increased MSPs for all mandated Kharif, Rabi and other Commercial crops with  a  minimum margin of  50  percent over all India weighted  average cost  of production from the year 2018-19 onwards.

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