Pratima Baliarsingh has to look after her two soons and an ailing father-in-law.
After her husband Abhimanyu, a 52-year-old farmer in Odisha's Khurda district, committed suicide by consuming poison last month, Pratima Baliarsingh is yet to recover from the trauma.
Pratima, 45, now has to repay an almost two lakh rupee-loan that her husband took from various banks and villagers.
The district administration gave her a cheque of Rs 20,000 after her husband's death but the amount is not sufficient to support her two sons and an ailing father-in-law, she said.
"He took this extreme step due to crop loss and loan burden. He had taken loans from various banks and villagers and ended his life as he couldn't repay them," said Pratima.
Abhimanyu is among the 41 farmer deaths reported in Odisha in the last two months.
Deficit rainfall this year has affected yield in most parts of the state, prompting the government to declare 139 blocks in 21 districts as drought-hit.
While western Odisha remains worst hit, Bargarh district has so far recorded maximum cases of farmer suicides at 15.
"Farming is our only livelihood. If after investing money in agriculture, we don't get returns, we will be forced to commit suicide," Banabar Balbantrai, farmer.
Earlier this month, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced a Rs 1,000 crore-relief package for the affected farmers, also waiving off the water tax and ordered stoppage of loan collection in drought-hit areas, but the steps have so far not stalled the farmer suicides.
Amid the escalating crisis, both Odisha government's Special Relief Commissioner GVV Sarma and Agriculture Minister Pradeep Maharati refused to comment.
"No reaction. Ask the SRC," Mr Maharathi said when asked for a comment by NDTV.