The Andhra Pradesh Tenant Farmers Association has demanded the immediate formation of a ‘truth-finding committee’ to investigate the suicides of farmers and tenant farmers in the State, highlighting the deepening agrarian crisis and debt-related distress.
In a press release on Monday, association State president A. Katamayya and general secretary P. Jamalayya called on the government to include representatives of farmer associations in the committee to ensure transparency and accountability. They pointed out that since the coalition government took power, over 300 farmers and tenant farmers had committed suicide, however, the administration has recognised only 112 victims, ignoring many deserving families.
The leaders criticised the government for recognising only those with Koulu identification cards (CCRC), arguing that many affected families lack these cards due to administrative lapses. They urged authorities to verify suicides based on village-level records, community testimonies, and police reports rather than sole reliance on official cards.
The association blamed government policies for pushing farmers to despair, citing uncontrolled increases in input costs — fertilisers, seeds, and pesticides — as well as the removal of free crop insurance schemes, lack of minimum support prices, and non-availability of input subsidies.
The leaders demanded immediate ex gratia compensation of ₹10 lakh for each suicide victim’s family, continuous inclusion of affected families in welfare schemes, enactment of a Kerala-style debt relief law, and proactive measures to protect agriculture and support farmers from debt traps.
Published – January 26, 2026 08:14 pm IST
