Farmers suicides not part of NCRB as data from states were untenable: Govt

Many states and Union territories reported "Nil" data on suicides by farmers or cultivators and agricultural labourers, the Union Minister G Kishan Reddy said in Rajya Sabha

National data on farmer suicide cases could not be published by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) as the information provided by the state governments were "untenable", Union Minister G Kishan Reddy informed Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

Reddy said as informed by the NCRB, many states and Union territories reported "Nil" data on suicides by farmers or cultivators and agricultural labourers after several validations, even while reporting suicides in other professions.

"Due to this limitation, national data on causes of suicide in farming sector is untenable and not published separately," he said in reply to a written question.

The Union minister of state for home said agriculture being a state subject, the state governments undertake development of perspective plans to ensure effective implementation of schemes.

"The Government of India supplements the efforts of the state governments through various schemes and programmes for the welfare of the farmers by increasing production and remunerative returns to the farmers," he said.