In an extremely disheartening report, a total of 1182 farmers committed suicide in Karnataka in the last year, from 01 April 2023 to 04 July 2024. In the list, the Belagavi district tops with a total of 122 suicides, which is alarming.
| Description | Number |
|---|---|
| Total farmer suicides | 1,182 |
| Duration (months) | 15 |
The report was presented by the Revenue Department in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. The meeting was attended by the deputy commissioners and Zila Panchayat Executive Officers.
The reason for the farmers’ suicide is due to drought, crop damage, heavy debt, unable to generate income from the occupation, etc.
Most of the suicide cases were seen in North Karnataka where most of the farmers were heavily debated and unable to pay their debt due to crop loss. The highest cases were seen in the Belagavi district followed by Haveri and Dharwad.
The report shows how difficult is the lives of farmers in Karnataka. It is not about blaming who is responsible, it is about how can all work together to upscale the lives of farmers and their families.
The suicide story is not new after all, this has been happening for years, and still the same story.
Main Reasons for Farmer Suicide
From the report, there are only a few but strong reasons for the farmers’ suicide:
- Los of crops due to heavy rainfall
- Loss of crops due to extreme drought
- Distress and anxiety due to unable to pay debt
- Unable to pay bank loan as no income due to crop loss either in heavy rainfall or extreme drought
How Many Families Received Compensation
Out of the 1182 cases, 1003 families are eligible for the compensation due to the loss, and 994 have already received the compensation. Unfortunately, 161 cases are not eligible for the compensation due to some reason and 9 cases are pending the final approval.
| Description | Number |
|---|---|
| Eligible for Compensation | 1,003 |
| Compensation cases resolved | 994 |
| Pending compensation cases | 9 |
| Ineligible cases | 161 |
Suicides by District
| District | Number of Suicides |
|---|---|
| Belagavi | 122 |
| Haveri | 120 |
| Dharwad | 101 |
Crop Insurance Registration
The government provides a crop insurance scheme, Karnataka Raitha Suraksha Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Scheme, where the farmers can register and issue their crops in case of natural calamities resulting in crop loss.
The government is targeting 19.34 lakh registrations for 2024-25, and 5.08 lakh farmers have already applied for the scheme.
| Description | Number |
|---|---|
| Target for registration | 19.43 lakh |
| Registered farmers (2024 monsoon) | 5.08 lakh |
References:
- https://www.siasat.com/1182-farmers-die-by-suicide-in-15-months-in-karnataka-3058448/
- https://raitamitra.karnataka.gov.in/info-2/Karnataka+Raitha+Suraksha+Pradhana+Mantri+Fasal+Bima+Yojana/en
- https://www.indiatoday.in/india/karnataka/story/nearly-1200-karnataka-farmers-suicide-in-15-months-says-government-2563840-2024-07-08
- https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/world/nearly-1-200-karnataka-farmers-died-by-suicide-in-15-months-government/ar-BB1pBkh2?apiversion=v2&noservercache=1&domshim=1&renderwebcomponents=1&wcseo=1&batchservertelemetry=1&noservertelemetry=1