Telangana’s Daily Wage Workers Remain Most Vulnerable in NCRB ADSI Reports.
Mental health experts also stressed the importance of timely intervention during suicidal crises
Hyderabad: Daily-wage workers accounted for 31 per cent of all suicides recorded in India in 2024, according to the latest data released by the National Crime Records Bureau, the figures reaching up to 52,910, pointing to persistent financial instability and social vulnerability within the informal workforce.
The figures in the NCRB ADSI reports have shown a steady rise in suicides among daily wage earners over the past three years, from nearly 26 per cent of all suicide deaths in 2022 to 27.5 per cent in 2023. In case of the deaths of daily wage earners, the numbers saw a steep rise from 4513 in 2022 to 4835 in 2023, and now 5745 in 2024.
In Telangana, where a large section of the workforce depends on construction and other informal jobs, the NCRB figures, which placed the state at the 3rd highest position for daily wage workers suicides, have drawn attention to the growing pressures faced by the economically vulnerable community amid rapid urban expansion.
Dr Jawaharlal Nehru P., a senior psychologist at Tele-MANAS said daily wage earners remain particularly vulnerable because even a short disruption in income can destabilise entire families. “Any effect in earning will destroy their survival,” he said, pointing out health emergencies, debt and periods of unemployment as common triggers.
Experts noted that many workers become trapped in cycles of borrowing and financial dependency, often worsened by alcohol abuse and betting habits used as temporary coping mechanisms. They said earnings lost to substance abuse frequently intensify tensions within households, adding to emotional and financial strain.
The distress is often further aggravated by the absence of emotional support systems and hesitation in seeking professional help, especially among informal workers and migrant labourers. “Every suicide is a cry to live. People want to live if they can see some hope in their situation,” the psychologist said. “But many times, people receive advice instead of actual help.”
Progressive Organisation for Women convener V. Sandhya, an activist working with women labourers, said the burden was even sharper for women in the unorganised sector, many of whom balance unstable work conditions with domestic responsibilities. “Informal work plus domestic chores overburden women. There is no proper recognition of their contribution,” she said, while highlighting issues such as wage disparity, domestic violence and financial insecurity.
Mental health experts also stressed the importance of timely intervention during suicidal crises. “Listening without judging and making people feel heard can make intervention easier,” Dr Nehru said. While Tele-MANAS has seen a rise in calls from salaried professionals dealing with anxiety and workplace stress, experts noted that economically vulnerable workers still remain far less represented in formal mental health support systems.