Maharashtra Declares Drought in 265 Talukas: What Farmers Get and What Comes Next
Maharashtra has declared drought in 265 of its 358 talukas, a decision that makes farmers, agricultural labourers and students in these areas eligible for twelve relief measures without filing a separate application.
The government issued its resolution on September 26 under the Drought Management Code, 2016, covering 265 talukas across 32 districts. Trigger-1, the first alert stage of the Code, is now in force. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has directed District Collectors to begin panchnamas — field surveys that record crop conditions — immediately. Ninety-three talukas are outside the list.
How short is the rain?
From June 1 to September 26, the State received 798.2 mm of rain against an average of 970.9 mm, a deficit of 18%. Only five districts recorded rainfall at or above the average for the period.
Marathwada shows the widest gap. Its eight districts together recorded a deficit of 38%, ranging from 16% in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar to 48% in Hingoli. In Vidarbha, the average deficit across 11 districts is 27%, from 26% in Yavatmal to 42% in Amravati.
The declaration follows a review by the Agriculture Commissioner of the kharif season, which reported rainfall shortfalls since June and found drought conditions in the 265 talukas based on rainfall deficiency and other factors.
What is the Drought Management Code?
The Code, framed in 2016, is the State's set of rules for assessing drought and deciding relief. The government's resolution is issued under it, and the concessions flow from it.
Trigger-1 is the Code's first alert stage. It rests on rainfall deficiency and other criteria; one test is a dry spell of at least 21 days during the monsoon without rain of note. Once Trigger-1 applies in a taluka, District Collectors begin panchnamas, which record crop conditions with photographs and GPS coordinates. The report travels to the government through the Commissioner of Agriculture. Assistance for crop losses is announced only after this process ends.
What do farmers receive now?
Agriculture Minister Dattatray Bharne said the concessions apply automatically after the notification, and that more will follow. The twelve measures begin with financial relief. Land revenue is exempted, crop loans are restructured, and recovery of agriculture-related loans is deferred. Electricity bills for pumps above 7.5 horsepower get a concession; bills for pumps up to 7.5 horsepower were waived earlier. Examination fees are waived for school and college students.
The second set covers work, water and supplies. Norms under the Employment Guarantee Scheme are relaxed and the maximum number of works is to be started. Tankers will supply drinking water where required. Electricity to irrigation pumps will not be disconnected in villages declared to face scarcity. Foodgrains will reach farmers and labourers who depend on agriculture, and fodder will be made available for livestock. The government will also begin water conservation works and plan drinking water for people and animals under earlier resolutions.
When will compensation for crop losses come?
The resolution states that assistance for crop losses will be announced separately, once the procedure under the Code is complete. Mr. Fadnavis has said help for the 265 talukas will come at once. The government has said the survey will determine the amount and reach of that assistance, so the panchnamas will decide what farmers finally receive.
What the opposition says
The opposition has sought that drought be declared in several other affected talukas as well, and that relief be given before Diwali.
