While political leaders in Maharashtra were racing to the throne of the chief minister in November last year, the state recorded over 300 farmer suicides, The Times of India has reported.
The steep rise in the number of farmer suicide cases recorded in a month was a first in four years. The last time Maharashtra crossed 300 farmer suicides was in 2015, where such cases were registered in several months.
The rise in cases comes close on the heels of unseasonal rains lashing the state in October and destroying almost 70 percent of the Kharif crop.
According to the latest revenue department data, the number of farmer suicides rose by 61 percent in November, as compared to October, which recorded 186 cases.
The maximum cases were from drought-prone Marathwada, which saw 120 cases, followed by 112 cases in Vidarbha, which usually records the maximum number of farmer suicides.
These numbers have also led to increase in the cumulative figures of 11 months (January to November) of 2019, as compared to 2018. While 2019 saw a total of 2,532 farmer suicides in Maharashtra, 2018 was no better with 2,518.
As per the report, unseasonal rains in the state have hit about one crore farmers, approximately the population of Sweden. Of these, 44 lakh farmers are from Marathwada alone.
Taking cognizance of this, the government has disbursed over Rs 6,500 crore as compensation to affected farmers, officials told the newspaper. The newly-formed Maha Vikas Aghadi government also announced a loan waiver last month. In addition, loans worth Rs 18,000 crore were waved off for over 44 lakh farmers by the previous government.
However, experts have argued that loan waivers aren’t a long-term solution and that the government needs to make farming profitable for the farmers.
“The cost of farming inputs and labour is so high that the farmer cannot survive a bad season. This is the main reason for suicides. Farmers need to be able to earn more through the sale of produce. The economics of farming are tilted against farmers,” Vidarbha-based activist Vijay Jawandhia told the newspaper.
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