SC issues notice to Centre, states, UTs, RBI to look into farmer suicides

Satya Prakash

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 27

The Supreme Court on Friday issued notices to the Centre, states, union territories and the RBI asking them to suggest measures to deal with situations created by natural calamities and indebtedness that often force farmers to commit suicide.

A Bench header by Chief Justice of India JS Khehar asked them to file their responses in four weeks.

The Bench expanded the scope and ambit of a 2013 PIL that had sought the top court’s intervention in Gujarat where between 2003 and 2012, 692 farmers had allegedly committed suicide.

The Bench said the problem was not limited to Gujarat as farmers in other states and union territories were adversely affected by natural calamities leading to crop failure.

It said notices should also be issued to the Centre-formulated policies and RBI which dealt with the loan issue.

In its 2013 petition, Citizens Resource and Act on Initiative (CRANTI) had sought compensation of Rs 5 lakh each for the families of 692 farmers who allegedly committed suicide in Gujarat during January 2003 to October 2012.

The top court had earlier issued notice to the Gujarat Government.

CRANTI came to the Supreme Court after the Gujarat High Court refused to hear it, saying the prayers sought by the petitioner related to policy decisions of the government and the court could not deal with policy matters.

The petitioner had contended that Gujarat farmers did not get crop insurance money which affected their ability to pay back bank loans.

It had demanded a change in agriculture policy of the Gujarat Government for drought-affected areas.