More than 2,500 farmers have committed suicide in Andhra Pradesh last year due to various reasons, including bankruptcy, unemployment and poverty.
Asked whether it is a fact that as per the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), the farm suicides in Andhra Pradesh have gone up from 2,206 in 2011 to 2,572 in 2012, Minister of State for Agriculture Tariq Anwar said "yes" in Rajya Sabha.
Anwar said according to NCRB, causes of suicides include family problems, illness, drug abuse, unemployment, property dispute, bankruptcy or sudden change in economic status, poverty, professional problem, love affairs, impotency, non-settlement of marriage, dowry dispute, fall in social reputation etc.
The Minister said government of India has announced several packages to mitigate the hardships faced by farmers including rehabilitation package of Rs 19,998 crore covering 31 suicide prone districts in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Maharashtra.
"Package of Rs 1,840 crore for development of Kuttanad Wetland Eco-system in Kerala, package of Rs 764.45 crore for mitigating agrarian distress in Idukki district of Kerala, Bundelkhand Special Package of Rs 7,266 crore for drought mitigation and Vidarbha Intensified Irrigation Development Programme with total allocation of Rs 3,250 crore from 2012-13 to 2016-17 have been approved," he said.
