Two deaths every day: Inside Marathwada farmers suicide crisis

“Earning even Rs 100 per day had become difficult,” says Meera Nagre, who is mourning her husband Suresh Naagre’s death by suicide allegedly related to debt and financial crisis. The resident of Parbhani district’s Jholapipri village – part of the Marathwada region – died on October 26.   

Between January and June this year, at least 430 farmers died by suicide in Marathwada – translating to two suicides every day. Of these, the most, 110 farmers’ suicides were reported in Beed. Newslaundry met several such farmers’ families living in poverty. Many of them blamed crop failure, debt for their daughters’ marriage and financial crisis for the farmers’ extreme step.   

Many young farmers said they are unable to find a match for themselves because “now people do not like to get their daughters married to a farmer”. One such farmer, Umesh, said that he faced crop loss worth Rs 50,000 last year but got only Rs 203 as insurance compensation through Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana. A farmer’s family also spoke about being pressured by a local money lender.   

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