Baramati, NCP president Sharad Pawar has expressed deep concern over the rising number of farmer suicides in Maharashtra, particularly in the Marathwada and Vidarbha regions. He emphasized the need for the Central Government to formulate a comprehensive policy to support farmers and alleviate the distress in the agricultural sector.
Pawar’s comments come in the wake of alarming data released by the state’s relief and rehabilitation department, which revealed that 2,635 farmers had died by suicide in Maharashtra in 2024 alone. These statistics highlight the severe crisis faced by farmers in the state, particularly in the drought-prone areas of Marathwada and Vidarbha.
“The information coming from Marathwada and Vidarbha is deeply worrying. We will gather more accurate data from various locations, but it is evident that there is a pressing need for action. The Central Government should step in and develop a policy specifically designed to help farmers in these regions,” Pawar said during a press interaction in Baramati.
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president also addressed questions about speculation surrounding NCP leader Jayant Patil potentially switching allegiance to the faction led by Ajit Pawar. Pawar clarified that Patil had already spoken to the media regarding the issue and dismissed any further speculation. Earlier, Patil, who is the state president of NCP, had hinted that nothing was certain about his political future, fueling rumors of a possible exit from the party. However, Patil later clarified at an event in Baramati that he was not unhappy and that his previous statement had been misinterpreted.
Pawar, who served as the former Union agriculture minister, also spoke about the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to revolutionize agriculture. He highlighted that AI could be used to improve the quality of sugarcane farming, with several sugar factories set to participate in this innovative process. Pawar revealed that a meeting with officials from these factories was scheduled, and he anticipated a major announcement on the adoption of AI in farming in the near future.
On a separate note, Pawar also reflected on the situation in Beed district, which has been in the news due to the murder of sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh. He expressed disappointment at the current state of affairs in Beed, which was once known for its peaceful environment. Pawar attributed the district’s deteriorating situation to the misuse of power by certain individuals, including some from his own party, and warned that these actions had led to the current turmoil.
