Punjab Newsline | Chandigarh
Punjab, which has long remained in focus over the agrarian crisis and mounting farm debt, has received some relief with the latest figures released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).
According to the Crime in India-2024 report, the state has recorded the lowest number of farmer and agricultural labourer suicides in the last ten years. Experts believe that financial assistance to farmers, free electricity, relief schemes and efforts toward crop diversification have started showing results on the ground.
The NCRB report stated that a total of 127 farmers and agricultural labourers died by suicide in Punjab during 2024. This includes 57 farmers and 70 agricultural labourers. In comparison, the figure stood at 161 in 2023, reflecting a decline of nearly 21 percent within a year.
The report further highlighted that this is the lowest number recorded in Punjab since 2015.
Agriculture experts said that the state government has introduced several measures in recent years to support the farming community. Schemes such as free electricity for farmers, compensation for crop damage, debt relief initiatives and incentives for shifting beyond the traditional wheat-paddy cycle are gradually helping reduce financial stress in the rural economy.
However, experts cautioned that the situation cannot yet be considered fully stable. The number of suicides among agricultural labourers remains comparatively high, indicating continued weakness in the rural economic structure. Small and marginal farmers are still struggling with rising cultivation costs, debt burdens and shrinking incomes.
The report also noted that Punjab has shown improvement compared to several other states in the country in terms of reducing agriculture-related suicide cases.
