Trapped in debt and failure in crop production, the farmers in the western Indian state of Maharashtra are driven to commit suicide by despair and hopelessness.
In order to make both ends meet, the farmers first take money from the obvious resources and when they are not in the position to return, they are left with no choice except, suicide.
Deprived farmers then leave behind a bleak legacy comprises of his wife and poor children. Subsequently, the wives have to face the world especially with serious financial uncertainties, which becomes even more difficult to cope up with.
If we go according to the figures
1. More than 3000 suicide cases have been reported in the past three years in a small village situated in Maharashtra itself.
2. Since July last year, nearly 200 farmers have committed suicide.
3. On average, one Vidarbha farmer commits suicide every eight hours.
4. More than 100 farmers committed suicide in Maharashtra in August 2006.
Yet, the farm widows are trying their utmost to keep up with the mounting demands, they and their families are apprehensive about the debts their deceased relatives left behind. Many don’t even know the size of those debts or even who will come to collect or when.
Compensation
A widow is normally paid 100,000 rupees (a little over $2,000) as compensation by the state government. Of this amount, 30,000 rupees ($625) are paid in cash, and the rest are kept in a fixed deposit in the bank for future use by the family. The cash compensation does help them tide over the immediate problem of feeding the family. But, in the long run, they struggle.
Sustenance & self-esteem
Economic empowerment of a widow or a single woman is perhaps the most essential support that can be extended. It not only helps in providing sustenance but also raises her esteem in the eyes of society. This would prevent them from begging and other kinds of evils operating in the system.
Bottom line
Despair and hopelessness, borne out of official apathy, is the main reason for the increase in suicide cases.
The government seems to have no concrete plans to rehabilitate them. Officials say they are doing a lot in the region, but fail to say what concrete steps they have taken.
Moreover, the price of supplies and overhead has risen which means the farmers have to borrow money to cover the shortfall. The farmers are often at the mercy of local debt collectors, who charge exorbitant rates.
The government has lowered the subsidies, which the farmers used to get. Switching from food to cash crops, like cotton, too has proven disastrous because cash crops often require a lot of water and resources.
And, all the ‘credit’ goes to the unpredictable climatic conditions, which is the outcome of global warming.
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