85% of Maharashtra's taluks face drought; Devendra Fadnavis promises ₹5000 aid before Diwali

More than 85% of Maharashtra’s taluks have been classified as drought-affected after the state government included 40 more taluks in the list, taking the total to 305 out of 358, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Wednesday.

The state government will also transfer ₹5,000 in farmers’ bank accounts before Diwali as immediate financial assistance, Fadnavis said.

He explained that the deposit was necessary because the entire administrative process and central assessment would take time to complete and could not be legally completed before the festival.

Maharashtra adds 40 more taluks to drought-hit list

The government initially declared 265 taluks drought-hit last month, citing deficit rainfall, and announced several relief measures, including restructuring crop loans, waiving land revenue and providing subsidies on electricity bills.

Following complaints and a subsequent review, the government has identified 40 more taluks to be included in the drought-hit list. An additional Government Resolution (GR) has been issued to formalize the expansion, Fadnavis said.

“Drought was initially declared in 265 taluks. 40 more taluks were added after evaluation of complaints, taking the total to 305 taluks. All 12 standard state drought relief concessions are now extended to these taluks,” Fadnavis told reporters after the Cabinet meeting.

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The chief minister noted that drought declarations are usually made by the end of November, while relief is usually provided from December onwards. However, the government postponed the announcement until October this year citing the seriousness of the situation.

Additional farmers will receive debt relief

Fadnavis said the state has prepared a verified list of 3.5 million more farmers who are eligible for scheduled debt relief payments. This process runs in parallel with other drought mitigation measures.

The government also removed outdated provisions from a 1992 resolution that limited tuition waivers for farmers’ children. Under the revised policy, the exemption will apply universally in drought-affected areas, he said.

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The chief minister added that banks and District Central Co-operative (DCC) credit societies have been warned against pressuring farmers to repay loans, harassing borrowers or using coercive collection practices. The government is working to extend similar directions to private banks and financial institutions.

Farmers will also be protected from enforcement action for unpaid electricity bills. According to the state policy, agricultural pumps of up to 7.5 horsepower are eligible for free electricity, Fadnavis said.

Water tankers will be deployed soon in drought-affected areas

Highlighting the worsening water situation, Fadnavis said the groundwater level in observation wells in Marathwada has fallen below 3 meters. The government is therefore planning to deploy water tankers already in October and November.

All tankers deployed for water supply will be monitored using GPS tracking systems, he said.

The state also disconnected nearly 16,000 illegal water connections to protect drinking water supplies. Fadnavis said the government would follow a zero-tolerance approach towards unauthorized water extraction.

Read also | Maharashtra declares 265 talukas drought-hit; relief measures announced

State to buy harvested fodder from SMEs

Fodder availability in Maharashtra currently varies from 90 days to seven months depending on the region, the chief minister said.

In areas with access to irrigation facilities or dam water, farmers were encouraged to grow rabi jowar and fodder crops to meet livestock needs.

Fadnavis assured the farmers that the state government would purchase all the fodder harvested at the Minimum Support Price (MSP).

Maharashtra Cabinet congratulates Prime Minister Modi on 25 years in government

The state cabinet also passed a resolution congratulating Prime Minister Narendra Modi on completing 25 years as the Prime Minister, Fadnavis said.

Modi has held the position continuously since 7 October 2001, first for three terms as Chief Minister of Gujarat before becoming Prime Minister. He subsequently won three Lok Sabha elections.

(With inputs from news agency PTI)