19K suicide cases reported every year in TN: IIT-M report

CHENNAI: More than one lakh suicide deaths were reported every year in the country besides over 1.5 lakh persons die due to accidents, according a report on Socio-Economic Costs of Suicides, released by the Indian Institution of Technology Madras on Wednesday.

The report, which was released by the State Health Minister Ma Subramanian at a function here at the IIT-Madras, further said that in Tamil Nadu alone about 19,000 suicide deaths were reported while 17,000 persons in the state died due to accident.

Citing various causes for suicides including perception of failure, professional/career insults sense of isolation, family issues, financial loss and chronic pain, the report said the direct cost of suicides to the Tamil Nadu Government is estimated at Rs 18,314.57 crores in 2021.

Stating that the burden on government finances due to suicides in 2021 accounted for 6.03 percent its total budget, the findings said further, the suicide costs in Tamil Nadu are 3.39 times that of entire police budget in 2021.

Approximately 1.43 per cent of the total police budget may have to be spent only on police administration in relation to suicide related cases.

Speaking on the occasion, the Health Minister said that the state government is taking several measures to prevent both suicide and accident deaths.

Pointing out that usage of several poisonous pesticides were banned temporarily for two months, the Chief Minister also asked the Centre to ban these pesticides permanently.

The minister claimed that as many as 1,49,785 persons were benefited by the 'Innuyir Kaapoom-Nammai Kaakkum 48' through which the the government will bear the expenses of emergency care for road mishap victims for the first 48 hours."Under the scheme, the state government have so fare spent about Rs 132 crore,” he said.

Claiming that Tamil Nadu's 'MaNaM' scheme, which offer psychological support to the college students, was successfully being implemented, the minister said that as IIT-Madras also created report on sucide, it woud helpful for the state government for the 'MaNaM' project.

"As three suicide cases were reported in the IIT-Madras campus since September last, the management of institution also interested in launching 'MaNaM' scheme in the institution,” he added.