A whopping number of 3,439 farmers have committed suicide in the State in the last 15 years.
However, none of the 174 farmers, who ended their lives this year, took the extreme step due to crop loss or loan burden, claimed the State Government in the State Assembly on Wednesday.
This was known from the information furnished by Agriculture Minister Pradeep Maharathy in response to questions of BJP MlAs Dilip Ray and Duryodhan Majhi.
According to NCRB data, a total of 3,439 farmers committed suicide in 15 years from 2000 to 2014, and of them the highest number of 379 ended lives in 2004 and the lowest of 102 in 2014.
The Minister informed the House that the Chief Secretary had asked the district Collectors and SPs to conduct investigation into the alleged farmer suicide cases. As per the reports provided by them, a total of 174 farmers committed suicide in 2015-16, but none of them ended life for crop loss or loan burden in the aftermath of drought, he maintained.
According to the Minister’s data, while some farmers, who committed suicide, had lost 90 per cent of crops, some others lost 67 per cent and yet some others lost 40 per cent of crops.
The list stated that 93 of 174 deceased farmers have not at all committed suicide for crop loss. Nine ended life for mental illness, 38 for family disturbance, 11 in illness and six died due to over-intake of liquor. The list mentioned that the reasons behind suicide of 18 farmers could not be ascertained.