Increase income, not credit

The moneylender is not the chief villain in farmer suicides

The latest official data on farm sector suicides have made some surprising revelations with wide-ranging policy implications. The suicide data for 2014 and 2015, compiled by the National Crime Records Bureau, indicate that bankruptcy accounted for only 38.5 per cent of the total number of suicides. Several other issues such as crop loss, low price realisation due to inefficient marketing, heavy health expenses, family problems and a slew of other farm-related matters have also been cited as important reasons for farmers to commit suicide. Also, contrary to the prevalent notion, the much-maligned moneylender is not the chief villain in the