The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India has recently announced a groundbreaking initiative – the “National Suicide Prevention Strategy”. This strategy, the first of its kind in India, aims to reduce suicide mortality by 10% by 2030 through time-bound action plans and multi-sectoral collaborations. The approach aligns with the World Health Organisation’s South East-Asia Region Strategy for suicide prevention.
National Suicide Prevention Strategy
Aimed at establishing robust surveillance mechanisms for suicide within the next three years, the strategy incorporates the provision of suicide prevention services via the District Mental Health Programme through psychiatric outpatient departments in all districts within the next five years. Over the span of eight years, it also aspires to incorporate a mental wellbeing curriculum in all educational institutions in India. Other objectives include developing guidelines for responsible media reporting of suicides and curbing access to means of suicide.
Status of Suicides in India: National Figures
Suicide has sadly become a leading cause of death in India, particularly among the age group of 15-29 years. There has been an alarming rise in the suicide rate from 10.2 to 11.3 per 1,00,000 population between 2019 and 2022. Moreover, more than one lakh lives are lost every year due to suicide.
The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) released the “Accidental Deaths & Suicides in India Report 2021”, providing detailed statistics on suicide rates across various demographics.
Profession-wise Distribution
As per the report, daily wage earners make up the largest group of suicide victims, accounting for 42,004 suicides (25.6%) in 2021. A significant increase by 7.17% was reported in the overall number of suicides from 2020 to 2021. In particular, the number of suicides among daily wage earners rose by 11.52%.
However, the farming sector witnessed a comparatively lower ratio of suicides, with only 6.6% of the total recorded suicides in 2021. Additionally, a surge of 16.73% was noted in suicides among self-employed persons, while a decline by 12.38% was seen in the unemployed group.
Reasons for Suicide
Family-related issues, excluding marital problems, were the leading cause behind 33.2% of suicides, followed by 18.6% due to illness and 4.8% due to marital discord. Among Indian states, Maharashtra reported the highest suicide rate, contributing 13.5% to the total suicides across India in 2021, followed by Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh. In the union territories, Delhi recorded the highest number of suicides at 2,840.
India’s Initiatives to Combat Suicides
A series of initiatives have been launched by the government to curb suicides and promote mental health. The Mental Healthcare Act 2017 aspires to provide mental healthcare services for persons suffering from mental illnesses. “KIRAN”, a 24/7 toll-free helpline introduced by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, aims to offer support to individuals facing mental health issues. The Manodarpan initiative, under Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, provides psychosocial support to students, family members, and teachers during the Covid-19 pandemic.
National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB)
The NCRB, based in New Delhi, has been functioning as an information repository on crime and criminals since its establishment in 1986. Operating under the Ministry of Home Affairs, it assists investigators in linking crimes to perpetrators. Its annual ‘Crime in India’ report, started in 1953, offers crucial statistics on crimes across the country, serving as a significant tool for analysing the nation’s law and order situation.