It rained the day after he died. For a farmer family in Yavatmal, it was too late, again

Farmers Nima and Dnyaneshwar Malekar lost two of their children, Nikhil and Tapaveen, to suspected suicide after suffering repeated crop failures due to inadequate rainfall and difficulties in obtaining an electricity connection for their borewell. The Malekars are among the many affected by the ongoing drought in parts of Maharashtra, including Yavatmal district, where the state declared drought in 265 of its 358 tehsils last week.

Nima's family built their house this year with funds from the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, but they are now left alone in it, with Nima spending half her time at her brother's home. After the deaths of her children, Nima and Dnyaneshwar tried repeatedly to obtain an electricity connection, only to be denied by authorities. Despite the recent issuance of a certificate under the Niradhar Scheme and a financial aid of Rs 1,500 a month, the Malekar family remains struggling to cope with their losses and the recurring challenges posed by the drought.