ABSTRACT
Agrarian distress has been the expression of multiple causes, but indebtedness and indebtedness-related factors were considered to be the most vital manifestation of rural distress and precursor of farmers’ and agricultural labourers’ suicides. Indian agriculture has undergone some major structural changes over the period of time, which has enhanced the market-induced vulnerability of farmers, especially small and marginal. As a consequence, agriculture has been progressively acquiring the small farm character, which affected the income and expenditure of the cultivators. Also, agricultural labourers mainly derive their livelihood from wage employment in agriculture. Economically, socially and politically they are the marginalized and overworked, underprivileged and underpaid section of Indian population, but indispensable to agricultural operations.
