There is a steady rise in suicides by daily-wagers, doubling to 23.4 per cent in 2019 compared to six years ago. As per the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data released in 2019, the daily-wage earners comprised the largest chunk of suicides at 32,563 almost a quarter of the total suicides at 1,39,123 in 2019. State-wise, the majority of suicides were committed in Tamil Nadu (5,186), followed by Telangana (2,858), Maharashtra (4,128), Kerala (2,809), and Madhya Pradesh (3,964). The NRCP initiated the practice of categorising daily-wagers in its ‘Accidental Deaths and suicides’ data only in 2014.
Daily wagers were followed by house wives, who made up the second largest chunk at 21,359 or 15.4 per cent of the total. But, their share and that of farmers has been declining. Labourers engaged in agriculture are a separate sub-category under persons working in the farming sector who accounted for 3.1 per cent of the total suicides.
Present data depicts only the profession of persons who committed suicide without any reference to the cause such deaths. As for the unemployed, their number stood at 10.1 per cent. The unemployed numbered 14,019 among the suicide deaths last year, recording a rise of 8.37 per cent from 2018’s figure of 12,936. The NCRB has been keeping data since 1995. Such deaths were recorded in Kerala (10,963), Tamil Nadu (1,368), Karnataka (1,293), Maharashtra (1,511), and Odisha (858). In 2007, their figure was the lowest at 6.9 per cent, it hovered over 8 per cent between 1995 and 2004, and remained below 8 per cent in the period 2005-14. However, it has been rising since then, crossing the previous high of 9.8 per cent in 1997.
The NRCB
The National Crime Records Bureau, set-up in 1986, is an Indian government agency responsible for collecting and analysing crime data as defined by the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Special and Local Laws (SLL). Headquartered in New Delhi, it is part of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India. It aims to empower Indian Police with Information Technology and criminal Intelligence to enable them to uphold law and protect people.
The agency started categorising daily-wagers in its ‘Accidental Deaths & Suicides’ data only in 2014. That year, they made up 12 per cent of suicide deaths, which have reached at 23.4 per cent till last year. The NCRB presents suicides into nine categories, including housewives and persons engaged in the farming sector, listed under professionals/ salaried persons, students, self-employed persons, etc.