Maharashtra govt must focus on drought relief now and ensure aid for every affected farmer: Aaditya

Aaditya Thackeray, a Shiv Sena (UBT) leader, urged the Maharashtra government to ensure timely delivery of drought relief to every affected farmer following the declaration of drought in 265 tehsils across the state. Thackeray, on a tour of drought-hit areas of Marathwada, stated that his party had been demanding the drought declaration for some time and believed it should have been declared earlier.

He pointed out that Karnataka had announced the drought before Maharashtra. Despite the declaration covering about 75% of the state's tehsils, Thackeray emphasized that the focus should now shift from declaration to implementing relief measures. He cautioned that the impact of the ongoing dry conditions would extend beyond agriculture, affecting urban areas as well.

Thackeray advocated for coordinated action by the Centre and states to address the country-wide implications of the situation. The Maharashtra government declared drought in 265 of its 358 tehsils, including eight from Pune district. Thackeray, undertaking a two-day tour of affected areas, interacted with farmers to assess crop losses while inspecting damaged crops at Khanapur village in Dharashiv district.