COVID 2020: When India Had Highest Number Of Suicides Due To Unemployment

New Delhi: The past two years have taken a toll on the mental health of people leading to suicides. Most of the cases were a result of bankruptcy, debt and unemployment.

Over 16,000 people committed suicide due to bankruptcy or indebtedness while 9,140 people ended their lives due to unemployment between 2018 and 2020, the Ministry of Home Affairs informed the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

As many as 9,140 people ended their lives due to unemployment. In the first year of the lockdown, 2020, when large scale job losses and economic slowdown were reported in many sectors had the highest number of such cases at 3,548.

Replying to a written question, Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said 5,213 people committed suicide due to bankruptcy or indebtedness in 2020, 5,908 in 2019 and 4,970 in 2018. A total of 3,548 people committed suicide due to unemployment in 2020, 2,851 in 2019 and 2,741 in 2018.

The Minister said the government had launched a number of programmes for employment and income generation for the citizens such as the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana (ABRY) to incentivise employers for the creation of new jobs along with social security benefits and restoration of employment.