SC: Why no life line to end the vicious circle plaguing the agriculture sector

The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Centre and the States to explain whether there was a lifeline, including a comprehensive insurance plan, for farmers to end the vicious circle plaguing the agriculture sector.

It was alarmed that crop failure and natural calamities were driving debt-ridden farmers across the country to take their lives.

Widening the scope of a public interest litigation petition filed by an NGO on the farmers of Gujarat, a Bench led by Chief Justice of India J.S. Khehar included all the States, the Centre and the Reserve Bank of India in the litigation in an effort to get a holistic picture of the plight of farmers.