Agrarian Distress and Farmer Suicides in North India (2^nd Ed.)

This volume provides a comprehensive and detailed socio-economic overview of agrarian distress in India which has manifested in the suicides of farmers and agricultural labourers. Using empirical research and field data from rural India, especially Punjab, this book examines the underlying causes of farmer suicide and steps which can mitigate the crisis.

Covering nearly 1,400 rural households, the research in this volume identifies the various dimensions of the deepening crisis in agriculture and farming. It categorises the factors of the problem across different regions and estimates its extent and magnitude. In this updated edition the authors focus on instances of political mobilization and collective movements by farmers struggling to bring the issue of agrarian distress to attention. The book also discusses the implementation of state-waivered loans and compensations and their effect on the farming community.

Topical, comprehensive and rich in data, this book will be valuable to scholars and researchers of political economy, agricultural economics, South Asian politics, political sociology and public policy.

List of figures. List of tables. Foreword by Nirvikar Singh. Preface. List of abbreviations.1. Introduction to the second edition 2. Perspectives on agrarian distress and rural suicides 3. Economic development and rural distress in Punjab 4. Farmer and agriculture labourer suicides in Punjab: analysis of the census survey 5. Rural households: socioeconomic characteristics 6. Determinants of agrarian distress in Punjab: magnitude and manifestation 7. A village on sale: microscopic analysis and rural distress 8. Summary, conclusions and policy suggestions. Appendices. References. Index.

Lakhwinder Singh is a Professor at the Department of Economics and Coordinator at the Centre for Development Economics and Innovation Studies, Punjabi University, India.

Kesar Singh Bhangoo is a Professor of Economics at the Centre for Research in Economic Change, Department of Economics, Punjabi University, India.

Rakesh Sharma is an Assistant Professor of Economics at Sachdeva Girls College, Gharuan, Mohali, India.