Maharashtra Government Takes Steps to Combat Drought, Welcomes Suggestions from Sharad Pawar

Mumbai, September 18 (Daily Kiran) : Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced on Friday that the Maharashtra government has implemented several significant measures to tackle drought conditions and assist farmers.

During a recent cabinet meeting, officials discussed the overall drought situation and potential financial aid. Fadnavis was responding to a letter from Sharad Pawar, leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), who urged immediate state intervention to address the drought crisis in Maharashtra.

The chief minister highlighted that the state’s agricultural loan waiver program is actively underway, with lists of three beneficiaries already published. To ensure all eligible farmers receive assistance, additional lists are being prepared. Crop damage assessments, conducted under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) protocols, will be submitted for central financial aid starting October 5.

Fadnavis emphasized that the government is taking the drought situation seriously, arranging fodder camps and drinking water supplies in affected areas. He welcomed Pawar’s letter, stating that the administration is open to constructive suggestions without politicizing the issue.

Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde reviewed the rainfall situation in Maharashtra and reassured farmers facing heavy losses due to drought. He confirmed that the government would provide full support to drought-affected regions.

In response to Pawar’s call for a formal drought declaration and immediate relief measures, Shinde acknowledged that some crops in parts of Vidarbha and Marathwada have been severely damaged due to drought. The government is currently assessing crop losses to distribute aid based on actual damages.

Pawar had previously expressed concerns over damaged crops, a lack of drinking water, and insufficient fodder for livestock. He noted that the absence of rain this year has placed the farming community in a significant crisis. Crops such as soybean, cotton, millet, corn, tur, mung, and urad have dried up, exacerbating the situation with a rise in pest infestations.

He called for the immediate declaration of drought, bypassing formal procedural requirements, and urged that the most affected talukas be designated as drought-stricken. Pawar also requested financial assistance of at least ₹50,000 per hectare for affected farmers, a special aid package of ₹25,000 for landless agricultural labor families, and the swift implementation of agricultural loan waivers to secure loans for new crops.

Highlighting the harsh realities on the ground, Pawar stressed that low rainfall has severely impacted crops in Marathwada and other regions of the state, pushing farmers into crisis.