India, Nov. 10 -- With 85% of Maharashtra facing a crippling drought, farmers have begun going to exploitative private and illegal moneylenders to make ends meet. With rising complaints against the latter, the Marathwada administration has now begun taking stringent action against them.

During the investigative action ordered by the state government, two parcels of land in the clutches of moneylenders for decades were recently restored to farmers in two different villages by the district collector of Latur.

In the first instance, Mandubai Davare, 83, from Kalkoti village had borrowed Rs.28,000 against her 1.8-hectare plot for her daughter's wedding in 1995. There was no written agreement, and the transaction was done amicably in the pre...