Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced that drought-hit farmers across the state will receive Rs 5,000 each in their bank accounts before Diwali, with the state government advancing the assistance from its own funds instead of waiting for central drought relief to be processed.
Fadnavis made the announcement after a state Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, saying the payment would serve as immediate relief and an advance against assistance expected from the Centre. He said the state would provide the central share when it arrives.
“A procedure has to be followed at the center for drought assistance, which is difficult to complete before Diwali,” Fadnavis said. According to the Chief Minister, the Centre’s rules, stages and timelines made it impossible to complete the process before the festival. The state therefore decided to release money directly so that farmers would have funds available during what he described as a difficult Diwali.
The government said the decision would be implemented immediately. The announcement comes as Maharashtra faces an early withdrawal of the monsoon, with 21 districts recording a rainfall deficit. Marathwada has also turned to tankers, adding pressure on a region that is frequently affected by water stress.
Fadnavis said Maharashtra had changed its drought-response timeline this year by declaring drought in October instead of November. Over the previous 25 years, he said, drought was generally declared in November, with assistance reaching farmers in December. This year, the state issued its drought Government Resolution in October and released a supplementary GR on Wednesday.
The supplementary Government Resolution covers 12 schemes, according to the Chief Minister. The announcement did not provide details in the supplied material on the number of eligible farmers, the total cost of the advance payment, the districts covered under each scheme or the mechanism through which eligibility will be determined.
The timing of the advance reflects the administrative gap between declaring drought and receiving relief through the Centre’s prescribed process. By using its own funds, the state is attempting to bring assistance forward while retaining the expectation that the central contribution will eventually be released.
The decision also comes amid criticism from the Opposition over the government’s response to the drought. The state’s early declaration and the immediate cash assistance are being presented by the government as measures intended to shorten the wait for affected farmers.
The next steps are the immediate implementation of the payment, the operation of the 12 schemes listed in the supplementary Government Resolution and the subsequent release of central drought assistance when the required procedure is completed.
