AP CM asks officials to study reasons behind farmers' suicides

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu asked agriculture department officials to study reasons behind suicides committed by farmers and take care of families of farmers who have committed suicides.

According to a press release issued by the Advisor, Communications, Government of AP, Naidu interacted with various officials by teleconference on Sunday.

He was informed that according to a report released by the Government of India, in 2014 about 5,650 farmers committed suicide over all the country, but only 48 such cases were reported from Andhra Pradesh, the release said.

Though the report stated that farmers' suicides are lower in AP, Naidu advised officials to take corrective measures, the release said.

Officials informed him that the trend is more pronounced in five districts namely Anantapur, Chittoor, Guntur and Prakasam, the release said.

They also informed him that higher interest rates charged by private money lenders, failure of crops and family issues are major issues behind farmers' suicides, the release said.

The AP CM instructed them to release input subsidies to farmers immediately as well as take measures to provide them loans from banks, the release said.

He also asked them to encourage farmers to subscribe to social security insurance schemes announced by the centre recently, the release said.