13,928 farmers died by suicide in Maharashtra since 2022; 295 eligible families still await aid

Farmer suicides in Maharashtra have not abated. With figures on deaths of farmers battling debt and agrarian distress now out, questions are being raised about government assistance and transparency. According to the information obtained, 13,928 farmers died by suicide in the state between January 2022 and June 2026. That works out to an average of more than eight farmers losing their lives every day.

The figures come from information obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. Of the 13,928 cases, 8,145 families were found eligible for government assistance. A total of 4,042 cases were declared ineligible, while inquiries into 941 cases are still under way.

Not every eligible family has received help. Of the 8,145 eligible families, 7,850 were given assistance of Rs 1 lakh. The remaining 295 families are still waiting, which means that the aid has not reached them even after they were declared eligible.

Jitendra Ghadge said he had sought district-wise and month-wise data. On July 24, the public information officer replied that the information should be obtained from the offices of the respective district collectors. Ghadge then filed a first appeal on August 18. After a hearing on September 8, the department provided the state's overall figures but refused to give the details.

According to Ghadge, this is the first time in 10 years that the department has refused to provide district-wise figures. He alleges that this was done under pressure from officials.

Ghadge has suggested that families whose compensation claims have been rejected should also be given a cover of Rs 2 lakh under the Gopinath Munde Shetkari Apghat Vima Yojana. He has also demanded that committees be set up at the taluka level to identify families in distress and help them get the benefit of government schemes.

He said the Chief Minister's Office confirmed receiving his email and forwarded it to the agriculture department, but he has received no reply so far. Without district-wise information, it is difficult to understand which areas have been hit hardest by the crisis and how much government assistance is reaching them.