A recent report has revealed a shocking account of 93 farmers’ suicide recorded in only 45 days in the beginning of this year in Marathwada, a region in the Indian state of Maharashtra.

Most of the suicides, according to local farmer activists, were direct outcomes of impractical crop loan system, and absence of government compensation to the farmers in times of harsh weather.

Authorities, however, blamed extremely parched weather, inability to pay debts, and scarcity of irrigation water as main reasons why so worryingly vast number of farmers of this region is taking their lives.

Times of India on 19 February ran the report quoting a divisional commissionerate sources which said that 93 farmers committed suicide since 1 January 2015 while the whole year of 2014 saw 569 farmer suicides. In 2013 a total of 207 farmers killed themselves.

A suicide case is enquired by a probe body mostly formed by local government representatives and government officials who, after completing the inquiry, recommends compensation to the family of the deceased farmer.

But, the ill-fated farmer’s family will not be ‘eligible’ to be compensated if he is not debt-ridden and did not possess any land.

A government official was quoted by Times of India Online as saying that farmer’s suicide is the biggest challenge the authorities are facing lately.

‘Crop failure and debt are main reasons behind such suicides,’ said divisional commissioner Umakant Dangat who also pointed at single crop system that is also contributing to the pathetic death of farmers.

The divisional commissioner also recommended initiation of vegetable production, dairy farms and other sustainable agricultural systems to reduce suicide trends among the farmers of the region, which remains dry almost throughout the year.