No respite for Maha farmers despite aid
MUMBAI: Five months after the Maharashtra government announced a loan waiver and weeks after it began disbursement, there has been no drop in the number of farmer suicides.
As many as 1,254 farmers ended their lives since the ₹34,000 crore waiver was announced on June 1 this year, taking the number of deaths to 2,414 until October 31, official figures revealed.
Eleven districts in Vidarbha have the dubious distinction of reporting the highest number of suicides — 1,133 in 10 months to be precise. Eight districts of Marathwada (central Maharashtra) follow with 789 suicides until October 31. In October, 248 farmers killed themselves across the state. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis announced a loan waiver on June 1 after statewide agitations by farmers’ outfits and opposition parties.
On June 24, the CM announced the quantum of benefits, while the disbursement began during Diwali. Despite this, around 240 farmers commit suicide every month on an average and at least eight are reported every day.
Last year, an average of 250 suicides were reported in a month. The state had witnessed the highest number of suicides in 2015 at 3,228, though the number slightly dipped to 3,063 the next year. In 2017, there is no sign of a dip. The figures issued by the relief and rehabilitation department of the state show that 1,254 famers ended their lives in the five months since the waiver was announced. Before the announcement, 1,160 farmers had committed suicide in the first five months of the year.