66 farmers commit suicide in last 21 days in 8 dists of Marathawada region

With this the toll of suicide cases had shot up to 221 from January 1 to March 25 as compared to 155 on March 4, according to Divisional Commissioner Official sources.

It may be noted that 191 farmers had committed suicide during the same period last year.

According to the updated reports of farmers' suicides, till March 25, 2018, 221 farmers had committed suicide in eight districts.

The highest number of 36 suicides were reported in Aurangabad, 33 in  Osmanabad district, 24 in Parbhani districts, 23 each in Jalna and Nanded districts, 22 in Latur district and lowest 18 suicides in Hingoli district, the sources said.

Primary causes of suicides were mounting debt, no adequate return to their farm products, infertility, cotton crop affected by pink bollwrom pest, hailstorm rains, among others.

Despite state government implementing loan waiver schemes in the state, number of farmers committing suicide is increasing continuously across the state.