INTRODUCTION
Agriculture is the backbone of India’s economy; farming is a very ancient occupation. The role of farmers is fundamental to the stability and growth of any nation, regardless of its level of development. The contribution of farmers to national progress is indispensable, as approximately sixty per cent of the population in our country relies on agriculture and related activities, which also account for a similar proportion of the national income. Despite this significant reliance, farmers in certain regions face immense challenges due to a variety of factors, including erratic monsoon patterns, overwhelming debt, insufficient market demand for their products, subpar living conditions in rural areas, intense competition from international farmers, the prevalence of genetically modified crops, and the ongoing neglect by successive governments regarding their welfare. The luck of farmers is dependent on the onset of monsoon in India, and with each year as the pattern of this rainfall changes so does their fates.
The pressure that a farmer’s mind holds after wielding months of hard work on their crops and getting them ruined by adverse weather is perhaps a prime reason why they commit suicide, the harsh reality is even heavier than the ultimate death. But several other reasons, like health issues, family feuds, debts, land disputes, etc., may also impact them and they get out of their control but the seriousness is only understood even by the government when they resort to suicide. Whatever the reason may be, the grave concern that in today’s world even after so many modifications a Farmer cannot have the hope to live exists.[1]
WHAT CAN BE THE REASONS?
A Broad List of reasons leading to farmer’s suicide are:
- Financial Burden- This is one of the most pressing issues that today’s farmers are facing, on average more than 5000 farmers commit suicide because they are indebted and cannot repay. No proper regulation for loans, local moneylending high rates of interest, and high-cost capital for production are reasons why they become so financially drained and due to low returns, they remain helpless.[2]
- Low Productivity- Agriculture is a profession that entirely depends on the yield or produce, and for every produce the farmer puts up months and a lot of investment in the form of equipment, fertilizers, seeds, irrigation tanks, etc., but due to variety of reasons, the final produce may be low which gives them a little amount in hand and many times, it does not meet their basic requirements.
- Lack of Government Support- Though the government has set up schemes and policies to help them yet many Gray areas remain like loaning facilities, support groups, cooperative societies regulation, etc.
- Personal Feuds- It is commonly observed that sometimes the families that hold land in sharing may enter into disputes and this tends to turn serious and the members under mental and emotional influence take such steps.
LEGAL PERSPECTIVE:
Our Country emerged as one of the major agricultural dominant countries after independence and our constitutional forefathers were determinant in making sure that not only agriculture but also other sectors of the society flourish. As a fundamental right, every citizen in India has the right to adequate livelihood under Article 21. The rights outlined in Part III are enforceable, and alongside these, Part IV, which encompasses enforceable rights known as the Directive Principles of State Policy, obligates the State under Article 43 to provide for just and humane working conditions, and under Article 48 to promote the organization of agriculture and animal husbandry before examining the stance of the apex court on the issue of farmer suicides, it is essential to understand the definition of suicide. The renowned Merriam-Webster Dictionary characterizes suicide as the voluntary and intentional act of taking one’s own life, particularly by an individual of sound mind and legal age. In simpler terms, it refers to the act of ending one’s life for any reason. When a person commits suicide, they are entirely relieved of any legal responsibilities. However, if a suicide attempt fails, legal implications arise, and the individual who attempted suicide may face criminal charges for their actions. The Indian Penal Code of 1860[3], under Section 309, explicitly prohibits the attempt to commit suicide, stating, “Whoever attempts to commit suicide and does any act towards the commission of such offence shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year or with fine, or with both.”
CASE LAWS:
In 2006, in the case of Sanjeev Bhatnagar v. Union of India and Others[4], the Supreme Court of India issued notices to the Government of India as well as the state governments of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Kerala regarding the alarming issue of farmer suicides. A public interest litigation (PIL) was presented to the court, requesting its intervention to reassess the national agricultural policy in light of the rising incidents of farm-related deaths attributed to poverty and indebtedness. A three-judge bench, consisting of Chief Justice Y K Sabharwal and Justices C K Thakker and Markandeya Katju, instructed the respondents to provide justifications for the lack of adequate preventive measures to address the suicides.
In a separate matter, S. Sundareshan v. Union of India[5], the Supreme Court chose not to entertain a public interest litigation that addressed the issue of farmer suicides and sought directives for the Central Government to implement the recommendations of an expert committee regarding the establishment of a minimum support price (MSP) for all agricultural products. The court disposed of the case saying that it is the legislatures that should take care of policy making. This was articulated by a bench comprising Chief Justice T S Thakur, along with Justices AK Sikri and R Banumathi. The bench further indicated that the petitioner of the public interest litigation should approach the relevant authority to present their case.
“These are matters which are between people and the government,” the bench observed while wondering at the outset as to “what are we supposed to do for farmers’ suicide. What is the government supposed to do?” Realizing that the bench was not inclined to issue any direction, advocate P V Yogeshwaram, appearing for scientist S Sunderland, preferred to withdraw the PIL in which directions were sought for the implementation of recommendations of the National Commission of Farmers (NCF). In the case of Jana Vignaya Vedika v. Governments of Telangana State and Andhra Pradesh[6], the High Court of Judicature recently criticized both state governments. The court requested responses from both administrations regarding the actions they have undertaken.
CONCLUSION:
Despite interventions from various courts, there remains a significant lack of effective measures to halt the alarming rate of farmer suicides, particularly in the central regions of the country. It is imperative that both the central and state governments earnestly undertake substantial actions to eradicate the issue of farmer fatalities. To this end, I propose the following recommendations:
- The Minimum Agricultural Prices Commission should be granted statutory authority, not only to recommend minimum prices for agricultural products but also to consistently monitor the conditions faced by farmers and the market dynamics affecting them.
- Financial institutions should provide agricultural loans with greater generosity, offering low interest rates and flexible repayment terms that take into account weather conditions and other relevant factors.
- The right to livelihood for farmers should be enshrined as a fundamental right through constitutional amendment.
- Rehabilitation centres for farmers should be established to offer counselling and support to those who are grieving.
- Both central and state governments should allocate a distinct budget for farmers within the annual budgetary framework.
If appropriate measures are not implemented, the troubling trend of farmer suicides may persist, leading to a decline in the nation’s standing among global countries and adversely affecting the socio-economic fabric of the nation.
Author(s) Name: Angel Malik (Dewan Law College, Meerut)
References:
[1]National Library of Health, Cultivating distress: Cotton, Caste and Farmer’s suicide in India, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov accessed 17 February 2025
[2] Review of Agrarian Studies, “Farmers suicide in India”, https://ras.org.in/ accessed 17 February 2025
[3] Indian Penal Code,1860 (Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita, 2023 now)
[4] Sanjeev Bhatnagar v. Union of India and Others, [2005] AIR 2005 SUPREME COURT 2841
[5] S. Sundareshan v. Union of India, [2013]
[6] Jana Vignaya Vedika v. Governments of Telangana State and Andhra Pradesh, [2013], PIL Nos. 462, 466 and 467 of 2013
