Maharashtra declares 40 more talukas drought-hit, announces ₹5,000 aid for farmers
The Maharashtra government on Wednesday declared an additional 40 talukas drought-hit and announced that an advance relief of ₹5,000 would be deposited directly into the bank accounts of affected farmers ahead of Diwali. The move takes the total number of drought-affected talukas in the State to 305 and comes with a renewed set of relief and water management directives across rural and urban areas.
Expanded drought classification and financial relief
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the new additions bring 40 more regions under drought measures, which will be implemented uniformly across all notified areas. The State has applied Trigger 1 and Trigger 2 in the 305 drought-hit talukas, making them eligible for assistance under the Centre’s National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) guidelines.
As an immediate measure, the government will transfer an advance relief of ₹5,000 to farmers’ bank accounts in the affected regions before the festival season. Mr. Fadnavis also cautioned cooperative societies, district banks, nationalised banks and microfinance companies against pressuring farmers for loan recoveries during the crisis.
Relief package: fee waivers, loan restructuring and fodder support
Minister of State for Relief and Rehabilitation Makrand Jadhav Patil said the government has approved 12 measures to ease the burden on farmers in drought-hit areas. These include exemption from land revenue, restructuring of crop loans, a stay on recovery of agriculture-related loans, and exemption from current electricity bills for agricultural pumps. The State has also announced a complete waiver of examination fees for school and college students in drought-affected talukas, without any eligibility criteria.
Outlining the State’s fodder policy, the Chief Minister added, “The government will purchase the fodder cultivated by farmers at a guaranteed price to make fodder available for animals.”
Water management directives and infrastructure priorities
Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, who chairs the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Drought, emphasised that tankers should be pressed into service only as a last resort to tackle water scarcity. He instructed officials to immediately restart water supply schemes that had been shut down due to unpaid electricity bills or lack of transformers, and sought proposals from District Collectors within 15 days for district-specific measures.
“Before the drinking water situation becomes critical, wells where water is available should be acquired to overcome water scarcity. Water supply schemes which are 75 to 80 percent complete should be completed on priority. Tanker App and GPS system should be started to ensure proper and smooth water supply,” Mr. Bawankule said.
He further urged districts to utilise funds available under the Fifteenth Finance Commission to clear pending electricity bills, and directed other districts to address their dues through the one-time settlement scheme.
Urban response: Pune to enforce weekly water cuts
Amid tightening water availability, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) announced that it will suspend water supply across the city every Thursday starting October 15. The civic body will also prohibit the use of drinking water for construction activities and begin closing vehicle-washing centres until the next monsoon.
Explaining the decision, the PMC said in a statement: “The State has received less rainfall due to the El Niño effect and as the El Niño effect is expected to continue till next year, it is necessary to manage the available water storage economically and in a very well-planned manner.”
The PMC’s measures follow a Government Resolution issued by the State Water Resources Department on October 6, which directed micro-planning of available storage in dams based on supply and usage, and called for steps to secure drinking water and mitigate the impact of a potential drought-like situation.
Next steps and significance
With the total number of drought-affected talukas now at 305, the State’s relief and management plan combines immediate financial assistance with structural measures to stabilise rural livelihoods and conserve water. District Collectors are expected to submit tailored action plans within two weeks, while urban bodies such as the PMC move to ration water and curb non-essential use. The State’s insistence on halting aggressive loan recoveries and expediting critical water schemes underscores the push to buffer communities against deepening water stress in the months ahead.
