Elaborating on the recommendations of the study group constituted by the Central Government, Som Pal told Raghuvansh Prasad Singh and Shakeel Ahmad in reply to an oral question that the group had recommended several measures for action by the Centre, Andhra Pradesh government, banks and Nabard.

He said these measures included assessment of the agricultural credit so as to enlarge the flow of credit particularly to small and marginal farmers. Strengthening the input distribution system, expansion of the integrated pest management and nutrient management programmes.

The study group also suggested taking up special programmes by the state seeds corporations to meet quality seedsrequirement of the farmers, strict enforcement of the existing provision of the insecticides act to ensure supply of quality pesticides and widening the scope of the existing crop insurance scheme to cover more crops.

Som Pal told the questioners that the study group by the Central Government was constituted in January 1998 to examine the issues relating to distress caused by indebtedness of farmers in Andhra Pradesh.

The Punjab government also got conducted a detailed study at the base level with a view to knowing the real cause of suicides by the farmers.

Giving state-wise details of the suicides committed by the farmers as reported by various states, Som Pal said no suicide was committed by farmers in Uttar Pradesh during the last three years.

With regard to Rajasthan the minister said that no farmer had committed suicide in the state during the last one year.

Punjab: As per state police statistics, 349 and 418 farmers committed suicide during 1996 and 1997 respectively. Three cases of suicidewere noticed during November 1998.

Karnataka: Sixty suicide cases by farmers came to the notice of the state government in the year 1998.

Andhra Pradesh: No suicide cases were reported during 1996-97. From December 1, 1997 to June 20, 1998, there were reports of 315 suicides by the farmers. Forty three cases of suicides have been reported from June 30, 1998 onwards.

The minister told the house that other state governments had been requested to supply the requisite information.