Rising Farmer Suicides Force Government to Review Policy

The Centre will re-examine the National Policy for Farmers in the wake of rising cases of farmer suicides.

A farmer walks with his hungry cow through a parched paddy field. (Photo: Reuters)

The Centre has told the Supreme Court that it will set up a panel of experts for re-examining the eight-year-old National Policy for Farmers (NPF), particularly in the wake of rising cases of farmer suicides.

The Ministry of Agriculture said it has proposed to set up an expert committee to initiate the process of re-examining the policy.

<p>There are instances of farmers’ suicides being reported from various parts of the country. There is, thus, a need for an integrated approach and re-look at the present policy. For this purpose, the government intends to initiate action and set up a committee comprising experts and stakeholders to initiate the exercise.</p>

<b>The Ministry of Agriculture in an affidavit filed before the court</b>

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