Capable of being a good engineer, my daughter is now working in fields, says Latur farmer Annarao Jadhav

Meet Annarao Jadhav from the hilly but arid Sarola village in Latur district, the home town of former chief minister the late Vilasrao Deshmukh. The 48-year-old, like many of his ilk, is struggling to support his family in the face of the severe drought that has hit the state, particularly Marathwada.

Annarao, who owns 3.5 acres of arid land, is battling to run the five-member household, as basic necessities dry up. And the latest victim of the situation is the education of his 16-year-old daughter Ankita, who scored 94% in Std X.

The farmer, who's been unable to pay his children's college fees for higher and technical education, said this is the third year in a row that drought has badly affected their region. "Anyone has the capacity to bear one dry season, but consecutive droughts and losses can put a person in deep financial trouble," he added.

Talking about Ankita, with pride and sadness in equal measure, Annarao said, "Due to her rank, she got admission in the government polytechnic college in Beed. We were happy that we did not have to pay admission fees. But what we had not taken into account were the accommodation and food expenses, which come to Rs4,000 a month. We managed the first month somehow, but in the second, we asked her to leave college and come home."

I ruined Ankita's bright future because I couldn't pay the additional expenses, said a visibly pained Annarao, adding, "A girl who is capable of becoming a good and efficient engineer is going to other people's farms to earn daily wages of Rs100."

"The drought has put my daughter's future in the dark. I feel very bad when I see her working hard in others' farms. I know that she is not made for such work, but poverty is the biggest enemy."

Annarao said his son Avinash is in the final year of engineering in Pune and he too is finding it difficult to complete it. "We are unable to pay the Rs81,000 final year fee, besides the Rs4,500 exam fee. The college administration has been asking him daily for it, without which he won't be allowed to appear for the exams. He is spending sleepless nights worrying over this. We too are concerned, we have already failed in ensuring a good future for our daughter, and now, the same might happen in our son's case," he added.

Himself a Std X fail, Annarao said he understands the importance of education. "If Avinash completes engineering, he can get work and pull the family out of this situation. Hence, we are all focussing on his education only.

Even my younger son Amar has left his studies as I was unable to get them all educated."

He said Avinash himself is working in a photocopy-making shop for Rs30 an hour. "He works two-three hours a day. On holidays and weekends, he works all day. To cut down on his expenses, he has stopped eating breakfast and having tea. In fact, whenever possible, he skips meals to save money. We can't send him money anymore, so he has to manage on his own. And this is affecting his studies...," lamented Annarao.

Things are so bad, he added, that Avinash does not even come home to visit as he does not want to waste time and money travelling. "We have not seen him for a long time. He does not even come during the summer holidays, instead works to collect money for his admission fee. We also do not force him (to visit) because there is nothing to offer him here."

Annarao has spent Rs15,000 for sowing soyabean, cotton and bajra on his land. "It rained in June. After that, not a drop for two months. The plants dried up completely and almost all crops got ruined. Last year was no different. To support the family, I am herding a cow that gives 10 litres milk daily, fetching me Rs150. However, there are fodder and other expenses to be made for the animal. I do not know how to survive in this harsh situation," he said.

Annarao said he had raised a loan of Rs1.50 lakh in the last four years. "Bank officials and private moneylenders do come for recovery, but they know that there is absolutely nothing in our house that we can compensate them with. I have assured them that after Avinash gets a job we will start repaying the loan. But I am in the bank's defaulter list now. I won't get another loan until I repay the first one."