43K professionals died by suicide in 3 years: Govt
Mukesh Ranjan
New Delhi, February 13
India has witnessed increasing trend in deaths by suicide by economically vulnerable sections, including daily earners, self-employed persons and salaried professionals working in the private sector during a period of three years between 2019 and 2021, which coincided with the pandemic, according to the data presented in Parliament today.
Presenting the data, prepared by National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB), Union Labour Minister Bhupender Yadav informed the Lok Sabha that in the three-year period between 2019 and 2021, as many as 1,12,233 daily earners died by suicide, whereas 53,661 self-employed persons and 43,420 salaried professionals engaged in the private sector took the extreme step.
According to the data, the year-wise break-up showed that 32,562 daily earners died by suicide in 2019, which grew to 37,666 in 2020 and 42,004 in 2021. Similarly, in case of self-employed persons, the number grew from 16,098 in 2019 to 17,332 in 2020 and 20,231 in 2021. In case of salaried professional employed in private sector, the number increased from 12,725 (2019) to 14,825 (2020) and then 15,870 in 2021.
However, according to the data presented by the minister, with regard to those, who are engaged in the farming sector, the number of such deaths remained almost similar in the three-year period with 10,282 taking the extreme step in 2019, 10,677 in 2020 and 10,881 in 2021.
Among the other vulnerable sections of society, the minister said, 66,912 housewives (21,359-2019, 22,374-2020 and 23,179-2021) died by suicide and in case of students 35,950 of them (10,335-2019, 12,526-2020 and 13,089-2021) took the extreme step.
Yadav in reply to another question, however, mentioned that according to the Unorganised Workers Social Security Act, 2008, the government is mandated to provide social security to workers in the unorganised sector, including daily earners, by formulating suitable welfare schemes on matters relating to life and disability cover, health and maternity benefits, old age protection, and any other benefit as may be determined by the Central government.
The life and disability cover is provided through the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) and the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY), he noted, while adding that the PMJJBY was available to the people in the age group of 18 to 50 years having a bank or post office account who give their consent to join or enable auto debit.
Worrying numbers
Between 2019 and 2021, as many as 1.12 lakh daily earners died by suicide, whereas 53,661 self-employed persons and 43,420 salaried professionals engaged in the private sector took the extreme step
