Farmer Suicides Up Four-fold in NE

Guwahati: Farmer suicides in the Northeastern States have recorded more than four-fold jump between 2014 and 2016, according to newly released data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). NCRB recorded 21 suicides by farmers and cultivators in 2014. The figure rose to 95 in the latest data.

Most of those who committed suicide were from Assam.

The rise in farmer suicides in Northeastern region has raised serious concern for the lawmakers and policymakers.

In 2014 only Assam among the Northeastern states had reported cases of farmer suicide when the number stood at 21. In 2016 the number rose to 84. 7 cases in Arunachal Pradesh, 2 in Meghalaya and one each in Manipur and Tripura were reported in 2016.