Maharashtra drought: 65 farmers in Marathwada commit suicide in first three weeks of April

The total number of farmer suicides this year in the drought-affected Marathwada region of Maharashtra has now risen to around 338, with 65 being reported in the last three weeks. 

According to a report in an English daily, Beed district in Aurangabad division saw the maximum number of suicides, pegged at 60 now. This was followed by Aurangabad (57), Nanded (50), Latur (44), Osmanabad (43), Jalna (37), Parbhani (27) and Hingoli (20).

Earlier this month, Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh, had said that both the Centre and state government were trying to reach out to farmers by implementing various schemes to reduce the number of farmer suicides. A senior official commenting on the situation said that the administration was trying to offer jobs to them under MNREGA and health schemes.

The report said that of these, 146 cases were declared eligible for compensation, investigations were ongoing in 117 cases while 75 claims were rejected. Compensation has already been given to the next of kin of 129 dead farmers.

In an effort to ensure that farmer's health problems are taken care of, health department officials and social workers have been roped in to counsel farmers in Osmanabad.

In 2015, 3,228 farmer suicides were reported in Maharashtra, which was the highest numbers in 14 years.