{
  "id": 13181221,
  "title": "Maharashtra Drought Crisis: Central Team Surveys Crop Damage As Farmers Demand ₹60,000 Compensation Per Acre",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/maharashtra-drought-crisis-central-team-surveys-crop-damage-as",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-09T18:05:47.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Press Journal",
    "slug": "free-press-journal",
    "url": "https://www.freepressjournal.in/pune/maharashtra-drought-crisis-central-team-surveys-crop-damage-as-farmers-demand-60000-compensation-per-acre"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A central government team has commenced evaluating the impact of drought on crops in Maharashtra’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Beed districts. Farmers in these areas have been demanding immediate financial aid, with claims that compensation of up to ₹60,000 per acre could be necessary. The team, headed by Muktanand Agrawal, an Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department official, toured damaged fields and spoke with farmers whose crops had been destroyed by prolonged dry spells. The team visited Vilas Shinde’s farm in Demni village, where soybean crops covering more than a hectare had been destroyed. The assessment will continue at multiple locations over the next three to four days, after which a report will be submitted.\n\nFarmers in Demni reported investing ₹50,000 to ₹60,000 per acre on their crops, but lost their entire harvest due to the drought. They urged the government to expedite relief payments and resolve pending crop insurance claims, some of which have gone unpaid for two years. Crops such as cotton, soybean, maize, sugarcane, and mulberry have suffered significant damage due to a severe lack of rainfall since early July. In Beed district, the team visited affected farms in Georai and other locations. Farmers there demanded water conservation measures like check dams, desilting, and groundwater recharge, as water levels in the Majalgaon dam have dropped to 26% of their average capacity.\n\nThe drought is now being verified in 18 additional talukas in Maharashtra, expanding the ground verification to 20% of the five major crops in these areas. The surveys will compare satellite imagery and computer-generated data with actual field conditions to establish a more accurate assessment of the drought situation. Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar division has the highest number of drought-affected talukas in the state, with 74, followed by Amravati with 56 and Nashik with 49. This expanded verification exercise aims to provide a more accurate evaluation of the drought situation and help determine appropriate relief measures.",
  "summary": "Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: A central government team has begun assessing drought-related crop damage in Maharashtra’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Beed districts, where distressed farmers have demanded immediate financial assistance of up to ₹60,000 per acre. The team, led by Muktanand Agrawal, Joint Secretary in the Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department, inspected damaged fields and…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "NDTV - India News",
        "title": "Maharashtra Deploys 611 Water Tankers Amid Drought, Central Team Visits State",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/maharashtra-deploys-611-water-tankers-amid-drought-central-team",
        "published": "2026-10-09T13:28:28.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}