THE Marathwada region of Maharashtra is passing through a severe drought for the straight fourth year now. While drought conditions exist today in 256 districts in 10 states of the country and affects nearly 33 crore people, the conditions are most acute in Marathwada. The acute drought condition has taken the form of shortage of water, food grains and cattle feed in the entire region.

Maharashtra has the dubious distinction of seeing highest number of farmer suicides in the country. In 2009, the state had seen 1,600 cases 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 a dip. 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 1,949 in 2014 and to more than 2,500 in 2015. The situation is forcing thousands of people from rural Marathwada to migrate to Western Maharashtra in search of work in sugarcane mills.

While erratic monsoons are a major factor behind the situation, the skewed irrigation policy by successive state governments is an even bigger reason. Marathwada has the lowest ratio of actual irrigated land vis-à-vis the irrigation potential created. Vijay Kelkar committee in its report pointed that of the potential land that can be irrigated by dams created in the region, only 38 percent is actually irrigated; while the figure for the rest of Maharashtra is 76 percent. It has been 18 months since the committee submitted its report to the state government, recommending increasing the share of Marathwada and Vidarbha in Plan funds as well as water distribution. The state assembly has not accepted the report yet. 

It goes without saying that students too are caught in a deep crisis, with many not in a situation to pay their fees and many others forced to discontinue their studies. SFI has been waging struggles in the region over the last 2-3 years demanding fee waiver for the students.

The point remains that entire Marathwada is today looking for help towards the rest of the country. The central executice committee of the Students’ Federation of India, in a statement issued on April 20, has called upon all its units to step up and organise “Marathwada relief campaign” across the country. As a part of this campaign, food grains, as well as money will be collected and sent to Marathwada. Maharashtra unit of SFI will undertake intensive campaign and mobilise students for the relief work on the ground. The SFI has appealed to people from all sections and political views to contribute generously to this campaign.