Hyderabad: As many as 1,990 farmers have committed suicide in Telangana state during the last two years, the government admitted in a report submitted to the Rajya Sabha Committee on Government Assurances last week.
TS Chief Secretary S.P. Singh submitted a report to the committee giving details of farmer suicides in 2015 and 2016. The 2015 figures tallied with those provided by the NCRB for 2015 (NCRB data for 2016 is yet to be released).
The NCRB data showed that the highest number of farmer suicides occurred in Maharashtra (3,030), Telangana state (1,358), Karnataka (1,197), Chhattisgarh (854) and Madhya Pradesh (516).
Countrywide, bankruptcy and indebtedness were the major causes of these suicides in 2015, registering an almost three-fold increase (3,097), compared to 2014 (1,163). Maharashtra reported the most number of suicides due to “indebtedness” (1,293), followed by Karnataka (946) and Telangana (632). With 131 deaths, Telangana state reported the highest number of suicides by farmers who took loans from moneylenders, followed by Karnataka (113).
Farm-related issues such as crop failure forced 769 farmers to end their lives in Maharashtra, followed by 363 in Telangana state, 153 in Andhra Pradesh and 122 in Karnataka. Family problems (933) and illness (842) were other top reasons for suicides among farmers in 2015, according to NCRB data.
Mr Singh informed the committee that the state government was making sincere and committed efforts to make agriculture viable and prevent suicides among farmers.
He said the government had waived Rs 17,000 crore worth of crop loans, launched a new scheme to give financial assistance of Rs 8,000 per acre per year to all farmers, is constructing irrigation projects, reviving minor tanks, providing 24x7 free power supply and timely supply of seeds and fertilisers.
