{
  "id": 14460776,
  "title": "Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis Announces ₹5,000 Aid For Drought-Hit Farmers Before Diwali",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/14/maharashtra-cm-devendra-fadnavis-announces-5-000-aid-for-drought-hit",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-14T12:54:25.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Press Journal",
    "slug": "free-press-journal",
    "url": "https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/maharashtra-cm-devendra-fadnavis-announces-5000-aid-for-drought-hit-farmers-before-diwali"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has announced a financial aid package of Rs 5,000 for drought-affected farmers ahead of Diwali. The state now has 305 drought-affected talukas out of a total of 358. The assistance will be directly deposited in farmers' bank accounts before the festival, providing immediate relief. Fadnavis highlighted that the decision to provide this advance financial assistance was taken collectively by the state government. This initiative is the first of its kind in the state's history, with an estimated 1 lakh to 1.25 lakh farmers expected to benefit. Unlike the previous year when assistance was only provided in December, the drought was declared early this year, necessitating the decision to provide the aid earlier. The state government expects to receive central assistance, but the funds will be provided as an advance while awaiting the central aid. Fadnavis noted that the upcoming Diwali would be financially challenging for drought-affected farmers, and this announcement aims to alleviate their financial difficulties during the festival.",
  "summary": "Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has announced financial assistance of Rs 5,000 for drought-hit farmers ahead of Diwali, as the number of drought-affected talukas in the state has risen to 305 out of 358. The state government has added another 40 talukas to the list of drought-affected areas. The assistance is expected to provide immediate financial relief to farmers, with the amount…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "NDTV - India News",
        "title": "Drought-Hit Maharashtra Farmers To Get Rs 5,000 Aid Before Diwali",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/14/drought-hit-maharashtra-farmers-to-get-rs-5-000-aid-before-diwali",
        "published": "2026-10-14T09:09:20.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}