Pune, October 2 (Daily Kiran) : Sharad Pawar, the leader of the Nationalist Congress Party, began a tour of drought-affected regions in Pune on October 2, 2026, as the situation worsens across Maharashtra. During his visit, he assessed crop damage and engaged directly with farmers to understand their challenges.
Pawar focused on the severely impacted areas of Baramati, Purandar, and Daund, examining the conditions on the ground. While speaking with locals in Parinche village, he urged the state government to immediately waive 100 percent of farmers’ agricultural loans and implement necessary relief measures.
Addressing the villagers, Pawar stated, “The lack of rain has made life difficult for both farmers and livestock. On September 27, I wrote to the Chief Minister, requesting that Purandar and other talukas excluded from the drought list be officially declared drought-affected. My priority is to pressure the government to act quickly to save the remaining crops.”
Pawar pointed out that while some areas have been declared drought-stricken, Purandar and several other affected regions remain off the official list. He emphasized the urgency of the situation, calling for direct government intervention.
He reiterated his demand for the inclusion of Purandar and other overlooked talukas in the state’s drought relief program and a complete waiver of agricultural and related debts for affected farmers.
Pawar assured villagers that he would personally meet with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to present their demands. He mentioned that Fadnavis had agreed to consider the information gathered from the ground.
In his letter to the Chief Minister, Pawar requested immediate government intervention and a 17-point relief package to assist farmers, agricultural laborers, and students, following the declaration of drought in 265 talukas.
Given the agricultural crisis and economic hardships faced by rural communities, he urged the administration to expand existing aid programs and deliver relief before the upcoming festivals.
Pawar also called for the declaration of all remaining affected talukas as drought-stricken and a complete waiver of land revenue fees across the state. Additionally, he demanded that financial institutions, including cooperatives and nationalized banks, fully forgive agricultural loans and business-related debts for farmers, laborers, self-help groups, and small enterprises.
He advocated for the waiver of electricity bills for agricultural pumps and called for a moratorium on electricity disconnections in drought-affected areas. Furthermore, he requested the waiver of tuition, hostel, and mess fees for students from drought-affected families.
Pawar urged for flexibility in the rules of the “Developed India Guarantee for Employment and Livelihood Mission,” previously known as MGNREGA, suggesting immediate local employment initiatives within three kilometers of areas with high demand for work.
He also proposed granting tehsildars the authority to approve drinking water tankers for citizens and livestock, ensuring timely administrative responses during emergencies.
Pawar requested that each agricultural family receive 25 kilograms of free grain and that assistance for livestock care be directly deposited into beneficiaries’ bank accounts. He called for immediate financial aid of one lakh rupees per hectare for farmers and 25,000 rupees for landless agricultural workers.
Moreover, he sought urgent financial support for affected orchards, including banana, sugarcane, and rice crops, alongside the provision of water tankers.
He demanded that all pending amounts for beneficiaries of various government schemes be released immediately and that the full relief amount be made available to divisional commissioners and district collectors.
Lastly, he requested that Chief Minister Fadnavis convene a three-day special session of the Maharashtra Legislature to discuss the drought situation in detail, make critical policy decisions, and ensure all forms of economic assistance reach affected individuals before the festivals of Dussehra and Diwali.
Leave a Comment