States, UTs report 'Nil' data on suicides by farmers to NCRB: Kishan Reddy to Rahul Gandhi in Lok Sabha

While replying to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's question in Lok Sabha on farmer's suicide, Minister of State (MoS) for Home Affairs, G Kishan Reddy said that National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) has informed that many States and Union Territories have reported "Nil" data on suicides by farmers and cultivators.

The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) publishes suicides by farmers and cultivators as the "Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India."

Rahul Gandhi had asked whether the farmer suicide data for the last four years is available, if so, the details thereof, State-wise and if not, the reasons therefor.

The Congress MP had also asked whether the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) has received the data on farmer suicides from the States/Union territories since 2016 and if not, the reasons therefor and the reasons for non-publishing of the reports of Accidental Deaths and Suicides in the country by the NCRB since 2015.

In a written reply, Reddy stated, "As informed by NCRB, many States/Union Territories reported "Nil" data on suicides by Farmers/Cultivators and Agricultural labourers. After getting the data vetted from the States/Union Territories, NCRB has published ADSI Report till the year 2016."

"State-wise details of farmers suicides for the year 2015 and 2016 are given in Annexure. Further, advisories have been issued by NCRB to all States/ Union Territories to furnish complete data sets in a timely manner for speedy publication of ADSI Report," he said.

Rahul Gandhi asked another question whether the manner in which Government will formulate policies to address such extreme cases of agrarian distress in the absence of the data?

The Minister said, "Agriculture being a State subject, the State Governments undertake development of perspective plans to ensure effective implementation of the programmes/ schemes. Government of India supplements the efforts of the State Governments through various Schemes/ Programmes for the welfare of the farmers by increasing production and remunerative returns to the farmers.