Agrarian groups and opposition parties are jointly demanding that the govt announce an unconditional loan waiver for all affected cultivators
Shankar Kshirsagar, a 46-year-old farmer, died by suicide at his farm in Nanded district on Monday. “Immediately after declaring the drought, the state govt should have initiated the restructuring of agricultural loans and announced a waiver.
Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana founder Raju Shetti said, “It has been nearly a month since the state govt officially declared a drought, yet it has not rolled out any tangible relief for farmers. Before taking his own life, Kshirsagar recorded a video detailing his mountain of outstanding loans and his exclusion from critical govt welfare schemes. His death has drawn sharp criticism from agrarian leaders, who accuse the state administration of failing to offer a psychological or financial safety net to the farming community. There has been no announcement of a comprehensive relief package, nor any advance interim payments. Such steps would have instilled confidence in the farming community, but sadly, no action has been taken,” Shetti added. “Farmers are also facing immense harassment from microfinance companies, an issue that the administration must address on a priority basis. If the govt takes strict legal action against these institutions for coercive recovery tactics, it will provide much-needed immediate relief to the farming community,” Suryavanshi added.