Maharashtra compensates families for farmer suicides

The Maharashtra government has paid Rs 220 crore to families of farmers who died by suicide in Vidarbha and Marathwada. This compensation is related to a worsening agricultural crisis in these regions that has been ongoing since 2001. The compensation amount is set at Rs 1 lakh for each case, but many families are requesting an increase to Rs 5 lakh. To qualify for the compensation, a farmer's suicide must be officially linked to the agrarian crisis. A district-level committee, which looks into each case, determines this connection. They consider factors such as land ownership, debt, and crop failure. Not every suicide meets these criteria, and the government has kept detailed records of farmer suicides in these areas since 2001. According to official data, 39,825 farmers have died by suicide since 2001, with 22,193 of those suicides confirmed to be due to the agrarian crisis. Compensation has been given to about 21,900 families. This year alone, 206 farmers have taken their own lives, with 41 classified as agrarian-crisis suicides. Several cases are still under investigation, particularly in Vidarbha. The Amravati division of Western Vidarbha is particularly affected, with over 21,000 recorded suicides. In Marathwada, the numbers are even higher, with around 12,000 suicides, of which 9,000 were confirmed as crisis-related. Nilesh Helonde, chairman of the Vasantrao Naik Shetkari Swavalamban Mission, calls for the government to improve healthcare and education for farmers. He believes that addressing these issues would help reduce suicide rates. Helonde also suggests promoting other income-generating activities like dairy farming to support farmers better.