-SATISH HANDA

Addressing media persons at Chandigarh, Executive President of Rashtriya Jan Udyog Vyapar Sangh Ashok Buwaniwala expressed deep concern over increasing cases of suicides by businessmen including trade and industry in the country during year 2020 due to severe financial crisis faced by them when country was in the grip of epidemic outbreak COVID-19. According to National Crime Report Bureau (NCRB) records the number of suicide cases reported in the country during year 220 due to frequent lock down declared by the government in the country markets as well as industries remained closed most of the time and large number of people in trade and industry were compelled to commit suicides due to severe economic crisis.

Buwaniwala said, on the basis of NCRB report, the number of victims in trade and industry in the country lost lives committing suicides witnessed nearly 50%  increase during the year as compared to previous year in which 11716 persons in trade and industry committed suicide which include 4356 persons in large scale business, 4226 vendors and remaining from other categories of business community. Buwaniwala said, in case of people from business community 2906 suicide cases were reported in the year in 2019 and the number of such suicide cases increased to 4356 in 2020 having 40.9% increase.

Ashok Buwaniwala further added,  people from business community usually avoid to take such drastic steps to end their life by committing suicide due to frequent ups and down in business, but during Carona epidemic outbreak people in trade and industry had suffered severe economic crisis to the extent  of complete ruin and large number of industrial units became completely sick. He demanded immediate need for the survival of collapsing industrial units introducing welfare schemes by the state governments as well as government in centre.