Two farmers from Maharashtra’s Vidarbha region returned their Krishi Bhushan awards to the state on Friday, to mark their protest against the government’s failure to prevent farmers’ suicide and tackle their increasing debts. Moreshwar Zhade from Wadona, and Hemant Shendre from Sawargaon – both in Chandrapur district – returned their awards, as well as their medals and certificates, to Additional Divisional Commissioner Hemant Pawar at the commissionerate, PTI reported. As many as 1,000 farmers committed suicide in the Vidarbha region in 2015, according to state government figures.

“We had won the prizes for increasing productivity. But over the years, our incomes have shrunk leaving us in debt, burden and poverty,” they had said on Wednesday, when they had made the decision. The state agriculture department gave Zhade the Krishi Bhushan award in 2002, while Shendre won it in 2010.