In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, Singh said the causes of suicides by farmers due to agrarian reasons include indebtedness, crop failure, drought, socio-economic and personal.
However, a reference to National Crime Record Bureau listing general causes of suicides including love affairs, barrenness and impotency, caused indignation with Opposition leaders dubbing the minister insensitive.
Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi counselled Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ask his ministers to visit the houses of farmers to "see what is going on".
He also alleged that the number of distress suicides has gone up by 26 per cent in last one year since NDA came to power and the reply was meant to "divert attention" from the actual reasons of suicide.
CPI leader D Raja said the reply shows "callousness" of the government towards the issue of farmer suicide, which takes place because of the "unprecedented debt crisis" faced by them and the government should take steps to come to their relief.
Facing storm, Singh sought to downplay the controversy saying the answer was based on a report by the NCRB, which the government cites in its replies.
In the answer, the minister also cited NCRB data to show that the number of suicides committed by farmers under persons self employed in farming/agriculture category in 2012, 2013 and 2014 were 13,754, 11,772 and 5650 respectively.
The number of suicides committed by farmers attributed to agrarian distress during 2012,2013 and 2014 as reported by state governments was 1,066, 890 and 1,400 respectively.