217 farmers committed suicide in Maharashtra in June
As many 217 Maharashtra farmers committed suicide in June, bringing the total farmer suicides in the state over the last six months to 1,327. The Vidarbha region recorded the highest number of suicides in Maharashtra, with 629 farmers committing suicide in the past six months. Notably, the state had announced a complete loan waiver for small farmers on June 11. 
 At least 217 farmers have ended their in the month following chief minister Devendra Fadnavis? farm loan waiver announcement on June 2 this year. This numbers for the month of June equal the average monthly figures in the past six months. According to figures of the suicides collated by the relief and rehabilitation department, 79 farmers in Marathwada and 87 in Vidarbha ended their lives in June. A month earlier, 89 and 90 farmers had committed suicides respectively in these two regions, which are worst-affected by the agrarian crisis. The number of suicides has now shot up to 1,327 this year. The number has, however, dropped when compared to the same time period last year. In June  2016, the total number of cases had reached 1,541 in the first six months.Experts said this was expected and the loan wavier is not the solution. ?87% of the suicides take place in the families that are completely dependent on farming. A waiver cannot prove to be a respite to avert them from committing suicides because they are going to be indebted again. The government should first amend laws related to the farmers if they want marginal  farmers to survive. I don?t think the suicides will stop even after the actual disbursement of the waiver amount,? said farm activist Amar Habib. 