Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal has demanded that the state government declare a drought immediately, provide Rs 50,000 per hectare to affected farmers and announce a complete farm loan waiver, citing prolonged dry spells and crop losses in several parts of the state.
Sapkal said some areas had received little or no rainfall for nearly one-and-a-half months, leaving standing crops to wither in the fields. In a statement, he accused the Mahayuti government of failing to take concrete measures to address what he described as a serious agrarian crisis.
“The government should declare a drought immediately and deposit Rs 50,000 per hectare into farmers’ bank accounts and announce a complete loan waiver,” Sapkal said. He added that the Congress would not allow ministers to move around the state if immediate action was not taken.
The demand comes as the state government assesses drought-like conditions in parts of Maharashtra. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on September 19 that a preliminary assessment would be completed within a week. This would be followed by crop surveys and decisions on assistance measures, according to the report.
Fadnavis also said arrangements were being considered for drinking water, fodder and additional power supply for farmers. These measures would address the immediate effects of prolonged dry spells, although the state has not yet announced a drought declaration or the specific financial relief sought by the Congress in the material available.
Sapkal alleged that the government had discussed the drought situation in cabinet meetings but had not taken concrete decisions. He also claimed that guardian ministers had not visited farmers affected by the dry spell. His statements were part of a wider political demand for relief, with NCP SP chief Sharad Pawar also reported to have sought a drought declaration, Rs 50,000 per hectare in assistance and a farm loan waiver.
The Congress leader further urged the government to consider cloud seeding and provide substantial assistance before Dussehra. Cloud seeding was presented as one of the measures the government should examine, but the report does not indicate that a decision has been taken on it.
Sapkal also contrasted the reported Rs 350 crore allocation for installing CCTV cameras for the Kumbh Mela with the government’s reluctance, as he alleged, to provide financial assistance to farmers. The comparison formed part of his criticism of the government’s priorities and was not accompanied in the report by a response from the state administration.
The immediate administrative questions are whether the preliminary assessment will confirm drought conditions in specific areas, how crop surveys will be conducted and when decisions on drinking water, fodder, power supply and farmer assistance will be announced. The government’s next stated step is to complete the preliminary assessment within a week before moving to crop surveys and relief measures.
