New Delhi: Over 17,000 farmers in different parts of the country died by suicide between 2018 and 2020, the Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday.
Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Kumar Mishra said the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) compiles statistics on accidental deaths and suicides from states and Union Territories and publishes the same annually as ‘Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India’ (ADSI) report.
It is ironic that the data is being discussed in tandem with Union Minister Ajay Kumar Mishra considering the fact that his son, Ashish Mishra is alleged to have run his car over farmers protesting in Lakhimpur Kheri.
According to the ADSI report, 5,763 farmers or cultivators died by suicide in 2018, while another 5,957 killed themselves in 2019. The report said 5,579 farmers or cultivators died by suicide in 2020. Aside from this, 5,098 agricultural labourers have died by suicide during 2020.
Out of 5,579 farmer/cultivator suicides, a total of 5,335 were male and 244 were female.
Of the 5,098 suicides committed by agricultural labourers during 2020, 4,621 were male and 477 were female. The majority of victims engaged in the farming sector were reported in Maharashtra (37.5%), Karnataka (18.9%), Andhra Pradesh (8.3%), Madhya Pradesh (6.9%) and Chhattisgarh (5.0%).
Certain states and union territories namely West Bengal, Bihar, Nagaland, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Chandigarh, Delhi, Ladakh, Lakshadweep and Puducherry reported zero suicides of farmers/cultivators as well as Agricultural Labourers.
These demises account for 7.0% of total suicides victims (1,53,052) in the country.
(with PTI inputs)
