Over 200 farmers ended life in lockdown in Amr Div: RTI reply

Nagpur: Despite various measures to stem farmers’ suicides, they continue unabated, particularly in Amravati division. In last 7.5 years, over 7,300 farmers have ended their lives owing to crop failure and mounting debts.
Of these, over 200 came in the lockdown period from March to May, despite the government providing free ration for all citizens below poverty line (BPL). Needy people were not even asked to produce the mandatory ration and Aadhaar cards to get the food kits during the pandemic period.
Unlike common perception that Yavatmal, often referred to as the suicide capital of Maharashtra, would have the most suicides, Buldhana and Amravati have far more numbers. Among the 7,380 farmers who ended their lives, only about half were found to be eligible to get government aid, show the replies to an RTI query filed by activist Abhay Kolarkar. The government has rejected applications of 3,161 families of farmers, since their suicides didn’t fit into the criteria framed by it, while 187 cases are pending for inquiry.
However, in the lockdown period from March to May, Yavatmal witnessed the highest number of suicides at 67, followed by Buldhana with 62, Amravati 52, Akola 19 and Washim 16. “Even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi had extended the scheme of free ration to over 80 crore people till October, the suicides continue to happen, raising serious doubts over entire system in rural areas. Something is wrong with the system or there’s a possibility that help isn’t reaching the beneficiaries and it needs to be probed,” Kolarkar said.