The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana was launched as the fl agship farm insurance scheme in 2016. In Maharashtra, the coverage under the scheme shows a skew, with the drought-prone districts in Marathwada and Vidarbha showing higher coverage under insurance as compared to the districts in Konkan.
The farmers in the suicide-prone districts of Vidarbha region of Maharashtra are aware of the union government's package and they have availed of relief measures such as the interest waiver, rescheduling of loans and subsidy under various schemes. They were eligible for fresh loans and could also augment their incomes through subsidiary activities. However, as their capacity to cope with drought conditions is still weak the impact of this multiple scheme is limited.
This article argues that the loss in competitiveness of the Indian cotton farmer after the opening up of India's agricultural economy in the mid-1990s was a major reason for the increase in farmers' suicides. Recently, in Maharashtra, there was a suicide epidemic owing to a decline in profit incomes to levels that were significantly negative.
This study, based on three districts of Maharashtra, reveals that though crop losses, indebtedness and market imperfections cause economic hardship to farmers, social factors are also at work, which lead in some cases to their suicides.
