Maharashtra Declares Drought In 74% Of State, 265 Of 358 Talukas Affected

Maharashtra has declared drought in 265 of its 358 tehsils, representing almost three quarters of the state. This decision followed a prolonged period of rainfall deficits and dry spells that have adversely impacted crops in many parts of the state. The declaration sets off a range of relief measures for the affected farmers, including waiving land revenue, restructuring crop loans, and putting a hold on the recovery of agriculture-related loans.

However, financial assistance for crop damage will be announced later after the assessment of the damage is completed. The order to declare drought was issued two days after Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis visited the rain deficit areas and announced the impending drought notification. According to the Government Resolution, the Agriculture Commissioner's report has identified drought-like conditions in all 265 talukas from June onwards due to the lack of rainfall and other factors.

Trigger 1, a continuous dry spell of at least 21 days without significant rainfall during the monsoon, has been found applicable in these areas. District Collectors have been instructed to start the crop loss assessment through a process known as panchnamas, in which they will document the crop conditions, including photographs with GPS coordinates, and submit these reports to the government through the Agriculture Commissioner.

These assessments will be used to determine the extent of crop damage and subsequently decide on the financial assistance to be provided to the affected farmers.