Official data has revealed the issue of farmer suicides in India is far from being solved, but the numbers are showing a decline. As per data released on January 2, 2020 by the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB), 10,655 people involved in agriculture committed suicide in 2017. The NCRB’s 2016 data claimed 11,379 people involved in agriculture had committed suicide. The 2017 data revealed that of 10,655, 5,955 were farmers / cultivators and 4,700 agricultural labourers — both lower than in 2016. They comprised 8.2% of all suicide cases in the country in 2017. Maharashtra topped the list of most number of suicides followed by Karnataka.
Climate change has exacerbated India’s agricultural distress and has increasingly been implicated in farmer suicides across the country.
SE Asia holds out on ISA as pushback for India’s RCEP rejection
India is having a tough time persuading South East Asian countries to join the International Sola Alliance, according to sources. While 84 countries have signed the framework ISA agreement, SE Asian countries are seen to be holding out against joining it as pushback for India not joining the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) trade deal. Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Thailand, Brunei, Indonesia, and Laos are yet to become a signatory of the ISA, the first treaty-based international government organization headquartered in India. Myanmar has signed and ratified the agreement, while Cambodia is yet to ratify it and has the status of observer.
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