Maharashtra Declares 305 Talukas Drought-Hit, Announces ₹5,000 Aid
Fadnavis announces ₹5,000 in pre-Diwali aid for farmers as the state steps up water, loan and fodder relief measures.
- 305 talukas declared drought-hit across Maharashtra.
- ₹5,000 aid promised to farmers before Diwali.
- Loan recovery safeguards and education fee waivers expanded.
- GPS-tracked water tankers and fodder procurement planned.
GG News Bureau
Mumbai, 10th Oct: Maharashtra has declared 305 of its 358 talukas drought-hit, covering more than 85% of the state’s sub-divisions, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced on Wednesday. The government will deposit ₹5,000 into farmers’ bank accounts before Diwali as immediate financial assistance.
The state initially declared 265 talukas drought-affected last month. Following a review of complaints, 40 more talukas were added to the list through a supplementary Government Resolution, extending all 12 standard drought-relief concessions to the newly included areas.
Fadnavis said the government had decided to provide assistance before Diwali because the full administrative process and central assessment could take longer. Given the severity of the situation, Maharashtra moved its drought notification forward rather than waiting for the usual November-end timeline.
Relief measures include crop-loan restructuring, land-revenue concessions and electricity-related support. The Chief Minister also said an additional 3.5 lakh farmers had been processed for scheduled debt-relief payments.
The government has removed outdated conditions under a 1992 resolution that restricted educational fee waivers for farmers’ children. The exemption will now apply across drought-affected areas. Cooperative banks and credit societies have also been warned against harassment and coercive loan recovery, while similar safeguards are being pursued with private lenders.
Water and fodder relief stepped up
The situation is particularly concerning in Marathwada, where groundwater levels in observation wells have fallen below three metres. The state plans to deploy water tankers during October and November, with GPS tracking to monitor their movement.
Nearly 16,000 illegal water connections have been disconnected to protect drinking-water supplies. Fadnavis said the government would take a strict approach towards unauthorised water extraction.
Fodder availability varies from around 90 days to seven months across regions. Farmers with access to irrigation or dam water have been encouraged to grow rabi jowar and fodder crops. The state has committed to purchasing all harvested fodder at the Minimum Support Price, according to the Chief Minister.
Separately, the Maharashtra Cabinet passed a resolution congratulating Prime Minister Narendra Modi on completing 25 years as head of government. Modi first became Chief Minister of Gujarat on October 7, 2001, before becoming Prime Minister in 2014.
