Due to the two hectare land holding limit in the loan waiver scheme, most of the Vidarbha farmers are out of the purview of the waiver, as average land holding here is 2.4 hectare.

In the news

Vidarbha has been in the news for past five years due to the high numbers of suicides in six worst-hit districts of the region.

On the day of Holi, six farmers ended their lives due to indebtedness, the Nagpur-based Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti reported, along with their names and addresses.

The total number of farmers suicides  seen this year has so far been 220, with January accounting for 80 and February 86 suicides.

Remove ceiling

The Samiti has demanded removing the two hectare limit so that the Vidarbha farmers benefit from the farm loan waiver. The Maharashtra government too has recommended to the Central Government to extend the land holding limit.

The Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar has given indications that it will be done so at the time of passing of the budget proposals.