Abstract

On the account of a series of farmer suicides taking place in India, this paper examines the socio-economic condition of families in Akola district of Maharashtra that has had a family member committing suicide. Akola district is one of the district in Vidarbha where the incidence of suicides is highest.This study is based on fieldwork conducted in the Patur block of Akola district. It brings to the fore the fact that there are two types of farmers suicide; (i) genuine farm related suicides caused due to crop failure and rising debt plus declining income and (ii) non-farm related (declared as farmer suicide for social and financial advantage) where reasons are not farm related. The socio-economic situation of families of non-farm related suicide are supposedly stable, but families that are affected by genuine farm related suicides are in miserable condition in terms of both social and economic condition. One of the main reason behind this situation is that government schemes and policies have failed to address the issue significantly, thus more efforts are needed to be taken to break this distress.

Introduction

In India, there has been series of farmer suicides reported daily in the Media¹. It is failure of the state and policies of state that they could not able to stop this incidence of farmer suicides. The chronology can be traced back in 1998 where farmer suicides reported first time in the country from Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Lots of studies done on this issue portrayed that the reason for this distress among the farmers is due to liberalization policy accepted by India. It was expected that liberalisation would increase output in agriculture but policy measures adopted after economic reforms did not increased rate of agricultural growth. Share of agriculture is declining in GDP which was sharper in 1990 because international price of agriculture commodity went down in the late 19190s and continued till 2005(S. Roy,2017). One side there is decline in agricultural growth and other hand suicide number is increasing more than 3,00,000 farmers have committed suicide in India out of which nearly 60,000 are from Maharashtra since 1995 to 2015(NCRB, 2016). Vidarbha and Marathwada region reported highest number of farmer suicides in Maharashtra. After highlighting the issue in national media and academic writings Prime Minister visited some part of Vidarbha and former prime minister Manmohan Singh announce the compensation and rehabilitation package for farmers on first of July 2006. Package didn’t able to change the suicidal behaviour of the farmers in the country, the conditions are same farmers are still taking their own life and choosing death over distress. When we see, the numbers put forwarded by National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) In 2009, the Maharashtra alone had seen 1,600 cases of farmer suicides which rose to 1,740 in 2010. The next three years had seen relatively better rain and subsequently the number of farmer suicides had seen declining, 2011 had recorded 1,495 cases, 2012 and 2013 had seen 1,467 and 1,298 cases of farmer suicides respectively. The number of farmer suicides rose to 2568 in 2014, the state reported 3,228 suicides in 2015 which was highest in Country. These numbers are more enough to say that though Our constitution under Article 21 has given us right of Protection of life and personal liberty, this incidents of series of suicides putting question on state and state policies on agriculture. Nearly half of the population depend on agriculture for their livelihood directly or indirectly these large population is suffering from the ‘Agrarian crisis’ causes of this crisis are studied by many researchers that are mainly crop failure, factors such as the rising cost of cultivation, indebtedness and bottlenecks in agricultural marketing (Mohanty, B. B., and Shroff, S. ,2004). This is indicator of problems afflicting the rural economy and society. In the welfare state, it is duty and the responsibility of state to ensure the right to life and protect it, but the circumstances and the condition through the farmers are going through gives the picture that there is large scale human right violation of farmers and of their families.

Though Maharashtra is one of the fastest developing state in India, large number of farmer suicides is being reported from the region of Marathwada and Vidarbha. There are six suicide prone district in vidarbha namely Yavatmal, Amravati, Akola, Buldhana, Washim, wardha where lots of studies and research has been done. These studies emphasise on causes of suicides among the farmers, very less studies are done on the families that left behind after farmer’s suicide. After farmer’s death family get nominal aid from government is that sufficient to live life with dignity, is our society really doing justice to deceased family all this question remains unanswered. This dissertation is trying to find out the answers on what is the family’s socio economic situation. What are the impact of suicide of breadwinner on the family how they cope with the various situation, What is their economic condition and social situation, what are their life experiences? Family struggle every step of life from availing govt aid to the basic amenities all these questions are addressed in this research. On account of series of farmer suicides taking place in India the dissertation offers an examination of farmer suicides and socio economic condition of their families in Akola district of Maharashtra. This study is based on the fieldwork conducted in the Patur block of Akola district. This research brings the fact that there are two types of farmers suicide one genuine farm related suicides caused due crop failure and rising debt, declining income. Second “non-farm suicide”² reasons are not farm related. Socio economic situation of families non-form related suicide is quite good but families that affected by genuine farm related suicides are in miserable situation in terms of social and economic condition. One of the main reason behind this miserable situation of families is that the government and its schemes and policies failed to address the issue significantly, so more efforts need to be taken break this distress.

EPISTEMOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS

I began to examine the socio-economic condition of farmer’s suicide affected family. to study the impacts of suicide on family are the objectives of the research and to address the research question are What is economic status of the family of deceased farmer? What is social status of affected family? What are the impacts of farmer suicide on his children’s education? What is the health status of family? What are the livelihood option available for the family?

If we study statistics of farmer suicides since 1995 numbers are really very worrisome, nearly 3,05,232 farmers committed suicide. If we study table 1 we observe that since 1995 farmer suicides are increasing every year. Highest number of suicides reported in the year 2004 then it declining nature has been seen. Rural reporter P. Sainath criticize the data shown by NCRB because it is based on police reports, which do not give accurate data. Inspite of that large number of farmer suicides are reported from different states of India since last two decades.

Table 1: Numbers of farmers’ suicides in India since 1995-2015 (Source: NCRB Data, 2016)

On the background of series of farmer suicides from different part of the India in order to give some relief to the farmers Prime Minister of India visited in Vidarbha region in July 2006 and announce package of Rupees 3750 crores for families of farmers in Vidarbha for development of agriculture and allied sectors. The comprehensive package announced by the government has attempted to address the most of these issues and aims to distress farmers and their family member and rehabilitate them. Some major provision under this relief package are Arrangement for fresh crop loans, Subside on crop insurance premium, Financial assistance to farmers for enhancing production and productivity, Disbursing crop loan through farmers’ self-help group, Encourage subsidiary occupation, Promoting agro processing industries through co-operatives, Promoting joint farming in cotton, Financial assistance for community marriages, Repayment of amount from capital formation fund, Financial assistance to cotton farmers, Vidarbha watershed mission, Creating a special cell in collector’s office with facility of helpline (s s kalamkar, sangeeta shroff, 2011).

After the implementation of package expectation was that, it will uplift farmer and will result in to stop the farmers suicide but the conditions are getting worst farmer till committing suicides. The number of farmer committing suicide in India is more than twice of the total number of suicide being committed in top 100 country on suicide list this is really worrying factor(Business Standard -20april 2015) To deal with the issue of agrarian crises and distress govt appointed The National Commission on Farmers (NCF) set up under the chairmanship of Sompal in February 2004, and subsequently led by M. S. Swaminathan and As per one of the recommendations of NCF (popularly known as Swaminathan recommendations), farmers should be given a Minimum Support Price (MSP) of at least 50% more than the weighted average of the cost of production (Ghuman, 2015). The recommendations implementation was one of the promise of BJP before Loksabha election 2014 they forgotten the promise in fact they submitted affidavit in Supreme court stating that govt can not implement the Swaminathan’s MSP. Politician and Farmer union in favour of farmers interest demanding implementation but Report submitted by NCF reveals the reasons for the causes of agrarian distress mainly are furnished agenda of land reform,shortage of water for irrigation, technological fatigue,inadequate access to the availability of credits, lack of marketing, lack of education, lack of employment and surplus employment.(​Bamji,M. S., and Charitable, D. , 2005​) the recommendations are of a more fundamental nature and have the potential to provide a long-term solution to the agrarian crisis and farmers’ distress. Those recommendations are mainly in the domain of land reforms, irrigation, productivity, credit, insurance, food security, bio-resources, and public investment in agriculture, human development, and the rural non farm sector. The NCF has thus looked for solutions to agrarian crisis and farmers’ distress both in agriculture as well as beyond agriculture(Ghuman, 2015). Agriculture is a largest economic sector and plays a very significant role in the socio economic development of our country so it is time to look into multiple policies and schemes and restructure or reformulate so that it can stop the farmer suicides in the country. Immediate and serious interventions needed to prevent suicide.

1. 1. Farmer Suicides from Maharashtra:

Increase in the farmer suicide in Maharashtra hit epidemic proportions. Maharashtra is one of the suicide prone state in India. According NCRB data in 2009 the Maharashtra had seen 1,600cases of farmer suicides which rose to 1,740 in 2010. The next three years had seen relatively better rains and subsequently the number of farmer suicides had seen. 2011 had recorded 1,495 cases, 2012 and 2013 had seen 1,467 and 1,298 cases of farmer suicides, respectively. In year 2014 count goes to 1,109 and in 2015 with 3,228 Maharashtra reported highest number of farmer suicides( NCRB,2016). Maharashtra is facing extreme weather condition from last two year and hence numbers increasing these numbers are very alarming. India is the largest producer of cotton in the world accounting for about 26% of the world cotton production and Maharashtra contributes more than one-third of the total area under cotton cultivation in India (The Cotton Corporation Of India Ltd.2016) it is observed that suicide rate among the farmers is greater in the states which Produce Cotton( S. Mitra, S. Shroff, 2007). Large number of farmer suicides are reported from Vidarbha region where cotton is main crop which is cultivated followed by vidarbha Marathwada reports farmer suicide, this region is facing drought condition since last three years. Recent past considerable studies has been undertaken to explore major causes Suicides, it is observed that proximate causes are related to crop failure and indebtedness (S. Mitra, S. Shroff, 2007).

Small farmers(1-2 hectares) , marginal farmers(0-1 hectares) and agricultural labourers are completely depends on agriculture for their livelihood and it is the only source of income for them hence self inflicted death are noticed from that section of farmers (S. Mishra, 2014). These small farmers take rik and think big but do not have capacity to visualise bad monsoon result crop failure which destroy their dreams putting them indebtedness. This brings feeling of failure, depression and hopelessness they think life is not worth living so they end up by taking own life. ( S. Mishra,2006).

1. 2. Vidarbha’s Farmer

Vidarbha is one of the geographical area of maharashtra which is in eastern part of the state. Cotton is the traditional and main crop in the region. As price of cotton is uncertain because national market is linked with international market which is decisive force (S. Shroff,2005). Some of researches had claimed that one of the cause can be costly Bt- Cotton seeds which are transgenic³ though the species are high yielding the irrigation facility is not ​available in the Vidarbha region adequately hence if fails to give desirable results( S. Mitra, S. Shroff, 2007). These seeds prone to the disease called Layla in Vernacular language symptoms are foliage become red reddening starts before boll formation that reduced by 25%(ISIS, 2010). Within the Vidarbha western districts Amravati, Yavatmal, Wardha, Washim, Akola and Buldhana. Total 805 in 2013, 964 in 2014 and in 2015 at peak 1348​ and in 2016 numbers goes down at 1193 these cases of farmer suicides were reported from these six districts (Hindustan Time⁴s 2015). The main causes of were socioeconomic problems, like harassment by moneylenders, debts and crop loss, inability to get proper medical treatment for the family, etc. The problem is compounded by lack of positive and cooperative support from legal credit systems like banks, especially weather and market fluctuations setback them most(P. B. Behere, A. P. Behere,2008). There are six district in Vidharbha which are suicide pron out of them Yavatmal and Akola district reported 388, 193, farmer suicides respectively in the year 2015( Hindustan Times, Jan 21, 2016). In this research Akola district is selected as area for study, which was once called as district of white gold (because main traditional crop was cotton). But when we see the corresponding figures of 2015 and 2016 for Akola were 195 and 154 respectively which was highest in all district of Maharashtra.

SEVEN NARRATIVES FROM THE FIELD

The following narrative are written on the basis of data collected during field work. These narrative reflects more on the lives of wives, children and parents of farmer who committed suicide. The narratives written here are selected because they address my objectives and questions of my field study.

Narrative: 1

Breaking the shackles of Patriarchy: Kamalabai G

Kamlabai was born and brought up in peasant’s family in small village Shirla. The was the only girls in the family and also the burden for the same. He also had a aspiration to learn and to become and independent women just like those village men’s who walk on their land like a free human being and he was knowing that education can provide her courage. But being a girl was a burden for her and her family. She insists to go play outside when she was small her mother denied her that right say “what you are going to do there, you are a girl and our work is in home not outside”. She insisted to study her father denied saying “What you will do by getting educated, you have to go to your husband house, there also you are sponse to do housework women responsibility is to look after the family and not going outside. So why wasting time in reading books go learn some house work that will be good for your future not this book’s go work with your mother and learn something from her”. At her early age, she was told to assist her family by working with them on cotton fields, so that she can help in generating some income source to the house.

Kamalabai lost her parents when she was 14, therefore now whole responsibility of her family was on her, as she was the only female in the house. She had to get up early in the morning and do all the house chore. Her elder brother was a 3rd Class Government office he was responsible for the income sources of the house. When she entered in her 16 she was given as a bride to a 20-year-old men without her consent. Her husband was the only person in her In-law family. The major source of livelihood of her husband was agriculture. Kamlabai was to do the same thing her, she uses to get up early in the morning and do all the house chores and them help her husband on fields. Her husband had three acre farming land and they use to cultivate cotton and Jowar as main crop in their land. After few years of marriage he had 3 children. She raised the children and also put them in school so that her wish can fulfill. Kamalbai said “when her son was at five year old her husband got lost” She search him for two days in relatives house, asked his friends about him, but she failed to find him. At last she files for husband lost FIR in police station. Police also searched him for two days finally at the end of fourth day police found him hanging on mango tree in Jungle which was near to village. When she got this breath taking news she collapsed on ground and started crying. By seeing this her children too busted out in tears. They were so young that they even didn’t know what is happening. She was very helpless and alone at the one point she also felt to commit suicide but the fear of children after her death made her cold and so she drops the thought and decided to struggle and educate her children and grow them in better way. She struggles lots for earning because she just stops cultivating land and started working as farm labour main reason for this shift was lack of credit. Irrespective of low wages that is given to the women in rural area she kept earning. By Doing daily wage work in agriculture and other domestic work she overcome all the obstacle and educate her all children in scarce resources. Her son is now postgraduate and working in private organization and earn good amount of money. Her both daughters were graduate and married and they are self-sufficient living happy life there.

When the researcher asked her from where she got courage and confidence to live with dignity in patriarchal society and from whom she got inspiration to educate her children. She smiled and just directed her finger toward the photo of Dr. Ambedkar and said “My Babasaheb has given me power time to time, whenever I feel sad he was there with me, he only told me to educate the children irrespective of gender”. Her face was showing proud feeling she has and her smile show the satisfaction that she got after overcoming the obstacles in life.

Narrative: 2

Sangharsh : Shila U

It was ten in the morning when the researcher visited her house. She was cooking food for her family on chula. As soon as I entered front yard of house all members of family gathered around the researcher. They thought that he was the government employ but he told them about him and his purpose of coming there.

Shila got married with Sahebrao at the age of seventeen their family was completely depending on agriculture for survival. In initial years after her marriage with sahebrao it all went ok, they also got a baby. Firstly, they were happy with the child but as the child started growing the expenses raised on basis of his needs. She was crying while saying that they even did not had capacity to spent on their son’s education, he was fond of education but livelihood was more important than education for his family this was the reason her son was forced to drop out of the school and decided to assist his parents on farmers. One day when all were in house during the evening time sangharsh her son said “I am going out will be late in coming home” He was alone near his farm stress by the condition of his family and seeing no scope for his growth he decided to commit suicide by hanging himself on tree and he did so. It was late night shila got worried that her son has not come home yet and therefore called few friends of his and started inquiring about him. No one of his friend was aware of where about him. After a long search one of his friend show his dead body hanging on the tree. He went and show it was Sangharsh body he removed him out and informed his family. After hearing that his mother underwent a big shock and was unable to recover. As he did not write suicide note it is still not clear why he ended his life. Sangharsh was the only son of the family committed suicides at the age of 19. He hanged himself on tree in his farm. Shila his mother could not handle the shock of his death, the incident affected her psychologically that made her undergo medical treatment.The family comes under the category of BPL and have annual income below 15,000. For her treatment family borrow the loan from money lender at high interest rate that put family in medical indebt. She said “son was only support for them in old age that had also stolen by god from us.” Father of Sangharsh was very optimistic about his son so he named him Sangharsh (meaning agitate, struggle). Since that incident hardly they celebrate any festival in house, happiness has gone forever from their life. Fifty-year-old father of Sangharsh blame himself for the death of his sone and living with gilt. Government official said it is not eligible for compensation because the agriculture land was not on his name so it is not considered as farmer suicide but in a hope Since last five years family is waiting for compensation of death son Sangharsh.

Narrative: 3

“Bone Cutting-cold Night” : Pushpa U

One evening nearly 6 pm she got massage from one random child in village saying “her husband drank pesticide in field”, she ran like anything barefooted to save him. When she reached there he was laying in cotton field crawling because of pain. Other spectators present at the incident was just merely seeing the event rather than helping him by calling the ambulances. She was crying and appealing help from the crowd, but one person came for help because of the fear of falling into the police cases, they call private taxi from village which took half an hour to reach hospital. While traveling the family of pusha gave her given him salty water so that he could omit but that did not work because he was unconscious.

When they reached hospital, doctor declare him as dead. It was 9:30 pm hospital administration called police to file FIR and investigate the case. Police came at 10:30 and sent the body for post-mortem. she was alone shivering and crying outside the hospital in bone cutting cold of November weighting for dead body of her husband. While she narrating the incident unknowingly tears came from her eyes and mine as well. In morning at 4 am she got dead body. Question started coming in her head about how to take body to home, she requested police to arrange the ambulance which they did so. After his funeral she did not got even mourning period , because she was left behind with one hectare of land, two kids, and mother in law. The First question in her mind was how to feed the family. whatever money family they cumulated from Kharif crop was spent on alcohol by her husband and remaining amount was spent to do rituals death. It was off season for agriculture she did not got work so she decided to sell one acre of land for household expenses and children’s education. Her mother in law did not give permission to do that because she said it is the only thing they have which sustained their family. She dropped that idea and decided to do whatever the work she got in the village. At that period, every child in the school used to get 3kg rice in a month. So 6kg rice of two kids and ration from PDS scheme help them to meet the need of food. For expenses like health, education etc, she worked very hard breaking the taboo in patriarchal society.

In order to help her mother and family elder son left his school and start working in hotel. Her younger daughter is pursuing education she is in first year of her graduation. When I asked her what is the thing that worry her most she replied “​Daughter’s marriage is biggest tension in her life at this point, because no one accept easily girl brought up without father and someone accept her then question of dowry emerges. ​” But she is very optimistic and confidence about future. When the researcher asked her how she will manage her daughter’s marriage expenses she replied she will overcome this issue it is like nothing for her in front of that “bone cutting cold night”.

Narrative: 4

Well With No Water : Kasabai P

Kasabai’s husband Tulshiram Vagre committed suicide few months before. He spent all money for construction of well with a dream dreaming that water from the village will help in irrigating the crops and this will help in Increase income. He digs the well forty feet’s but there was no water in the well. This become a problem for them as he was unable to pay back bank loan so he didn’t get renewed from the bank, due to lack of credit he was not able to cultivate the land. He was upset from some days but never shared his problem with her. One day when no one was there in home he consumed pesticide and kill himself.

In old age, it is very difficult to cope with the loss of spouse and managing farm activity. She is so lonely and depressed that once she jumps in the well and tried to do suicide. Fortunately, she was taken out by people in the village but her left leg got fracture. Other old age widows in village encouraged her to live now she managed to cope up with the situation. She have one son and two do daughters living in different cities but they are busy in their family. She living alone in village waiting for her term to die her offspring’s come in a month to see her. She is totally depending on her children for her expenses because of her leg and age concern. When the researcher asked her about past life she just answer that “life of poor people is one as the same throughout the life, struggle for two bite of food” she was born and brought up and married in poor peasant family every day is day of struggle for her.

Health issue is the most prominent because government civil hospital is 30km away from village, private doctors are there but fees is not affordable to her. Some time for medical cause she takes loan from private money lender and return him after getting money from her siblings.

Narrative: 5

ASHA: Sangita I

On the request of not revealing the name one young woman agreed to tell her story. Sangita enjoyed married life only for three years and had given birth to baby boy. The baby was just of four month and his father burned himself. Mother, father, she and one little boy was left behind after him. She became widow at early age. ​what to do how to do ​? was big question in front of her. She had father in law and mother in law to whom she uses to share her sorrows. In Indian Hindu society widows are consider are bad onam and are not treated good in public religious spaces. Same kind of experiences was faced by sangita as well. One incident she wanted to mention that once in Gauri puja she was not allowed to enter in her friend’s house reason given to her was that Gauri having naivedya. As she was good looking and young women so, she got offers for marriage but she rejected and chose to spend her rest of life as widow because men who was ready to marry her ready to accept her but not her child. She was first women in village who dare and take initiative to work as ASHA worker in the village. As of now she helped 83 women in prenatal and postnatal phase with their vaccines and arranging ambulance, family planning. Her son is in first standard now and good in study she has hope that one day he will become doctor. She is putting efforts on his education but sometime lack of resources create obstacle in her dream. She shifted her son from English medium to Marathi medium because fees in English medium is not affordable for her. Her limited income is not sufficient to meet all the needs of her family but, she has hope (ASHA) everything will be alright one day.

Narrative: 6.

Migration: Kusum K

Kusum belongs to Patharwat community. She got married at the age of 14 with 20-year-old man named Dhondiba. When I asked her why she got married so early age she replied that marriages in Patharwadi community usually done at early age.

Dhondiba and Kusum in course of time had three children two sons and one daughters. Farming and stone work was the sources of earning for the family. Economic condition of family was not good at all. As a result of consecutive two-year crop failure, family was suffered lots because of economic crisis due to depression Dhondiba committed suicide by hanging himself to the tree in his farm. After father’s death life of children change drastically they stop going school and started working in farms. Seasonal nature of agriculture work force them to migrate for employment.

There in Gujrat this family manage to purchase wooden machine engage in the business of Sugarcane juice. One person just move that machines wheel manually and one person take out juice. The hard work they do whole day and at the end of the day they hardly earn money for surviving because of her widow status she was discriminated on religious spaces. Again the patriarchal society do not give respect and dignity as it is given to man. Her husband’s death ended all support from family and society. Worsen thing happened her life is that after husband’s death when she went first time to her parental home she was treated as outsider.

Lack of support from the family, alternative livelihood source, patriarchal and feudal society of the village force her to migrate in City of Gujrat. The mother’s courage in moving her children in Gujrat for employment is admirable.

Narrative: 7.

Suffering in Silence : Rohini K

This is a story of 27 year women named as Rohini belong to the farming family which is feudal and patriarchal in nature. Just few month ago her husband Ravi consumed poison she became widow at a relatively young age. Her father in laws and other members blame her for the incident and regarded her unlucky.

Her family member sent her with two daughters to parental house within a month there she has bad experience of exclusion she has treated as outsider there, in fear of claim to father’s land. When she came back to her family she was treated badly by her in laws neither ration card is not transferred on her name. She was not given any financial help by them, even money of compensation also lured by them, land her husband tenanting not given to her. Initially she was sharing hearth with in-laws but because bad treatment from them with courage and determination decided to separate the hearth, and bring up her daughters, educate them and make them self-sufficient. She has been working in farms of other farmer as daily wage labour, she is struggling so hard to bringing up them. She also faces discrimination over there being women worker she gets less wages than men for the same work. Though she has property issue with ageing mother in law and father in law but being nice she takes care of them sometime in health issues.

With no financial help and family support she brought up her children and looked after her ailing in-laws by working as a daily wage labourer, earning 80 rupees a day. She was running up new debts after she borrow money when her younger daughter married. Her tension was to pay loan amount to money lender within given period of time.

She is suffering lots in private sphere as well as public sphere, she also faced lots of difficulties to get her daughter married because she said for daughter brought up without father is difficult to arrange marriage.

Conclusion

In Indian context most of the farmers committed suicide are marginal and small farmers who had adversely affected by liberal economic policies. In the context of Maharashtra Drought, Crop failure, Indebtedness, economic crisis are some of the major causes has been seen since last two decades. Cotton producing farmers in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra suffered due to lack of satisfactory MSP, crop failure, indebtedness, and various causes more than 60,000 farmers committed suicides in Maharashtra since last two decades.​ Increasing agricultural input and continuously declining in output resulted economic crisis, so to meets family’s financial need depends on informal money lender that put them indebtedness. When we look this issue through social lenses we find farmer suicide causes has various dimensions and holistic view is important in understanding the phenomenon of farmer suicide. Many studies reviewed the causes of farmer suicides while less emphasis given on study of widows and affected family left behind. Considering the gap in literature this study explores and examine the socio-economic study of families affected by farmer suicides. The study is based on data collection done in Akola district during field work. Case studies revealed the impact of suicide on family members individually and socio- economic condition of family. The study also address the question of health, starvation, education of children, livelihood of family and discrimination at private and social sphere faced by widow and her family.

Socially widows and family members are vulnerable. Widows are stigmatized consider as bad Oman and symbol of bad luck. Societal norms still force her to practice widowhood by not wearing colourful clothes, not putting bindi, exclusion from religious social practices in person and public sphere. Stress and loneliness, financial crisis, physical, sexual, mental, emotional and economic exclusion facing day to day life.

The death of father negatively impacted on children in different way they even struggles for basic things like books, stationary, school fees, and traveling expenses. The incident of father’s suicide impacted children emotionally, psychologically that affected their behaviour, health, education, marriages. Stress, trauma, economic problem impacted such way that children could not able to perform well in education. Children become mature at early age and become responsible and at the age of playing and learning they engage into labour work. Anger, inferior complexes, violent behaviour, self-esteem all these behavioural changes has been seen among the children as result of poverty. In rural family institution father pays important role in marriages in children, he is in touch in community and arrange their marriages but in case of father’s death family find it difficult to arrange the marriage for widow because of stigma of widowhood and the expenses of marriage and dowry is big reason that affect the children and mother.

Parents of the deceased farmer become more vulnerable after the incident because of loss of their support in old age period. They are remained alone or with their spouse, but without son they are going through the emotional stress, loneliness they remained one of the most neglected section of society.

Economic condition of the farmer suicide affected family is very poor. Study reveals that because of availing government’s Awas yojana housing condition is satisfactory but still 24% houses even don’t have proper roof on their houses. Problem of open defecation is omnipresent in the villages due to lack of toilet or water unavailability to use the toilets. Drinking water problem is faced every summer by the families because there is no government water supply provided in villages. Almost all the households have electricity connection but the issue of load shedding is major issue when it comes to use it for household of for irrigation. Income and expenditure of household’s calculation do not show positive figures. Families do not have other livelihood option than agriculture but now women are engaging with allied businesses. Health status of family is not so good, reasons are several from poor hygienic condition to lack of health service facility. Enough private clinic is the most frequent health facility seeking by patient because of unavailability of good quality health care facility.

Demographic study show that farmers from backward castes (Buddhist, Patharwat, and Adiwasi) are more prone to suicide. Rate of suicide in marginal and small farmer is higher than large farmers. Method of suicide like hanging and pesticides consumption Very often used by farmers over the period of time.

Though there is food security but due to complex process of getting ration cards some families do not get ration so Starvation among the children results in to malnourishment, their physical and mental growth affected negatively also sanitation and hygiene is critical in rural area where study is conducted. Water is fetched from well and rivers which is contaminated that’s create health issue.

Agriculture is dominant source of livelihood in most of the rural families. After husband’s death considerable women engage in agriculture in difficult circumstances but they do not get recognised as farmer by community, family and government and land ownership is not given her. Farming is the same occupation who took their husband’s life so some women tried another option of livelihoods like daily wages, dairy, tailoring and goatery. In difficult circumstances, they don’t have option other than money lender who take high amount of interest on money, Migration of family for livelihood is seen in one case study because of denial of property to widow by her father in laws.

Families of farmer suicide affected families get compensation from government which is rupees one lakh is very less and do not ensure sustainability. Sometime it is delayed and sometimes disqualified for getting compassion. Majors are need to be taken on livelihood option to widows so that they can be self-sufficient.

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