The Farmer Suicide Ex-Gratia Scheme is a financial assistance program initiated by the Agriculture & Cooperation Department of the Government of Andhra Pradesh. Designed as a rehabilitation package, the scheme provides much-needed support to the family members of deceased farmers or tenant farmers who have committed suicide due to agrarian reasons. These reasons may include the failure of bore wells, the high cost of cultivating commercial crops, non-remunerative prices, and other economic hardships.
Benefits
- Financial Assistance:
A one-time financial grant of ₹7,00,000 is provided to the family members of the deceased farmer. - Dedicated Support:
A Superintendent at the Collector’s office is designated to manage farmer suicide cases. - Rehabilitation Priority:
Beneficiaries are prioritized to receive benefits from other government schemes. - Special Grievance Day:
A monthly session at the Collectorate to address and resolve issues related to farmer distress, suicide, and other agricultural challenges.
Eligibility
To be eligible for the Farmer Suicide Ex-Gratia Scheme, the following conditions must be met:
- The deceased farmer must have been a resident/domicile of Andhra Pradesh.
- The cause of death must be suicide, with the reason being agrarian-related, such as:
- Failure of bore wells.
- High cultivation costs for commercial crops.
- Non-remunerative prices.
- Issues related to tenancy, inability to secure bank loans, or high-interest private lending.
- Additional pressures from adverse seasonal conditions, educational expenses for children, ill health, or marriage-related expenses.
- The term “farmer” encompasses anyone deriving substantial livelihood from farming—including landowners, tenant farmers, and women farmers.
- The financial assistance is provided to the family members (legal heirs) of the deceased farmer.
Application Process
Offline Process
- Field Visit:
The District Collector, along with officials from the Agriculture and Revenue Departments, visits the site of the incident to extend moral support and gather preliminary information. - Proposal Submission:
The Collector and District Magistrate prepare a detailed proposal recommending financial assistance for the legal heirs of the deceased farmer. This proposal must include the required documents. - Examination and Approval:
The Commissioner and Director of Agriculture review the proposal and release the financial assistance either directly to the legal heirs or reimburse the District Collector if the payment is made directly. - Disbursement:
Following approval, the financial assistance is remitted to the beneficiary’s bank account as part of the rehabilitation process.
Note: Any farmer, friend, relative, or well-wisher can notify the Collector about a case of extreme distress using the designated helpline. Immediate action and counseling are then provided at the district level to mitigate further crises.
Documents Required
- Residential/Domicile Certificate
- Passport-size Photograph
- Ex-gratia proposal with recommendations from the District Collector (a formal letter addressed to the Special Commissioner of Agriculture)
- Mandal-Level and Divisional-Level Committee Reports (three-member committee reports)
- Aadhaar Card
- Ration Card
- Death Panchanama
- Post Mortem Report
- Death Certificate
- FIR Copy
- Xerox Copies of Promissory Notes
- Details of Legal Heir with Bank Details certified by the Tahsildar for DBT
- For tenant farmers: Documentary evidence of lease (e.g., Revenue Records or Crop Cultivators Rights Card (CCRC))
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What is the maximum financial assistance provided through this scheme?
A1: The scheme provides up to ₹7,00,000 to the family members of the deceased farmer.
Q2: Which reasons are considered as agrarian reasons for suicide?
A2: Agrarian reasons include failure of bore wells, high cultivation costs for commercial crops, non-remunerative prices, issues with tenancy, inability to access bank loans, high-interest private lending, adverse seasonal conditions, heavy educational expenses, ill health, and marriage-related financial burdens.
Q3: How is the term “farmer” defined for this scheme?
A3: A farmer includes anyone who derives substantial livelihood from farming—not just those with land titles, but also tenant farmers and women farmers.
Q4: In whose bank account is the financial assistance disbursed?
A4: The assistance is disbursed directly into the bank account of the legal heir(s) of the deceased farmer via DBT.
Q5: What is the purpose of the helpline under this scheme?
A5: The helpline is meant to alert the Collector about situations of extreme distress among farmers, so that immediate counseling and intervention can take place.
Q6: How does the scheme safeguard families from moneylenders?
A6: The scheme prioritizes the rehabilitation of the deceased farmer’s family by ensuring they receive financial support and are promptly enrolled in other government assistance programs, reducing their dependency on moneylenders.
Q7: Who can report a case of extreme distress of a farmer?
A7: A farmer, relative, friend, or well-wisher can report the case using the designated helpline at the Collectorate.
Q8: What is the objective of the “Special Grievance Day”?
A8: The Special Grievance Day is organized monthly at the Collectorate to address issues related to farmer distress, suicide, government schemes, and land issues.
Q9: Who is the designated point of contact for farmer suicide cases?
A9: A Superintendent at the Collector’s office is designated as the point of contact for handling these cases.
Q10: How does a farmer’s suicide affect their family’s eligibility for other government schemes?
A10: The families of deceased farmers are given priority for other government benefits and rehabilitation programs as part of the overall support mechanism.
Q11: What additional documents are required if the suicide is committed by a tenant farmer?
A11: For tenant farmers, documentary evidence of lease, such as Revenue Records or a Crop Cultivators Rights Card (CCRC), is required.
Q12: What are the compositions of the Mandal-Level and Division-Level Committees?
A12: The committees consist of three members each, and they are tasked with preparing and submitting their reports as part of the proposal process.
Q13: Which department manages this scheme?
A13: The scheme is managed by the Agriculture & Cooperation Department of the Government of Andhra Pradesh.
Q14: Is this scheme limited to one benefit per family?
A14: Yes, it is a “one family, one benefit” scheme, providing a one-time financial assistance per eligible case.
Q15: Are there any age-related criteria for the scheme?
A15: No specific age criteria are mentioned; eligibility is based on residency, cause of death, and agrarian reasons.
Q16: Can a domicile of Telangana apply for this scheme?
A16: No, only residents/domiciles of Andhra Pradesh are eligible.
Q17: Is this scheme state-sponsored or centrally sponsored?
*A17: This is a state-sponsored scheme.