Gujarat, along with other states and the Government of India, will have to submit detailed information to the Supreme Court on the measures taken to prevent farmer suicides caused by economic reasons.
The Supreme Court has directed all states to file their reports within four weeks, following a long-pending petition on the issue.
In Gujarat, obtaining official data on farmer suicides due to crop failure, rising debt and other economic factors has become increasingly difficult, according to a report in a vernacular daily.
Earlier, such statistics were available through the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). However, in response to an RTI application filed in 2013, the Gujarat Director General of Police stated that the CID Crime branch had been exempted from providing data related to farmer suicides. As a result, official figures on farmer suicides in the state are no longer easily accessible.
The Citizen Resource and Action Initiative, Kranti Sangathan, has been pursuing the issue through legal means for several years. The Supreme Court passed an important order on the petition last Friday, directing all state governments, including Gujarat, as well as the central government, to submit a comprehensive report on steps taken to curb farmer suicides linked to economic distress.
According to Kranti Sangathan, NCRB data published in newspapers indicates that 2,479 farmer suicide cases were registered in Gujarat between January 1, 2003 and December 31, 2012. Reports also suggest that a considerable number of farmers died by suicide between 2013 and 2016. From 2016 to 2020, 154 farmer suicide cases were reported, of which 87 were attributed to crop failure, lack of remunerative prices for agricultural produce, and mounting debt.
In recent months, unseasonal rains have caused extensive damage to crops across Gujarat. This agricultural loss has reportedly led to several farmer suicides over the past two months.
Earlier, a public interest litigation was filed in the Gujarat High Court seeking a dedicated policy to prevent farmer suicides. The High Court disposed of the petition, stating that the issue fell under policy matters. Subsequently, the matter was taken to the Supreme Court.
In 2017, the Solicitor General submitted an affidavit in the Supreme Court stating that the central government was in the process of drafting a comprehensive policy addressing issues such as debt relief, fair prices for farm produce and timely compensation during natural disasters. The Supreme Court had then directed that the policy be formulated within six months, but the case has remained unresolved.
Now, the newly appointed Chief Justice of India has taken up the long-pending matter once again and ordered all states to submit their responses. This renewed hearing has raised expectations of a meaningful and effective decision in the interest of farmers across the country.
Also Read: Generously Provide Compensation To Farmers, Shaktisinh Gohil Tells Gujarat Government https://www.vibesofindia.com/generously-provide-compensation-to-farmers-shaktisinh-gohil-tells-gujarat-government/
