Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has formed a Cabinet Sub-Committee with full cabinet powers to respond to drought-like conditions in parts of the state, promising immediate assistance to affected farmers without waiting for financial support from the Centre. The committee will be chaired by Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and will oversee relief measures based on field assessments, according to IANS reporting carried by Mid-Day.
Speaking after chairing the weekly Cabinet meeting, Fadnavis said a preliminary notification declaring drought-like conditions would be officially released by Saturday. The state government has begun collecting primary data on rainfall, reservoir water levels and the agricultural situation to determine the scale of the response.
Crop damage assessments, including official panchnamas, have been directed to begin across the state. Soybean, maize and cotton are among the crops reported to have suffered extensive damage, while paddy fields in the Konkan region have also been affected. The assessments will form the basis for relief packages and a formal proposal to the Centre for funds under National Disaster Response Fund norms.
The Chief Minister said immediate priority would be given to drinking water and livestock fodder. These measures are expected to cover the next seven to eight months and will be coordinated through municipal corporations, municipal councils and other local self-government bodies. The involvement of urban and local authorities places water supply and fodder distribution within the state’s wider administrative response rather than treating the crisis only as an agricultural matter.
Fadnavis also announced that he would begin inspecting affected regions from the following day. Ministers and elected representatives have been directed to visit the ground, assess damage and report local conditions. The Cabinet Sub-Committee has been authorised to take immediate decisions while statewide data collection and crop assessments continue.
The panel includes Water Resources and Disaster Management Minister Girish Mahajan, Water Supply and Sanitation Minister Gulabrao Patil, Soil and Water Conservation Minister Sanjay Rathod, Animal Husbandry Minister Pankaja Munde, Agriculture Minister Dattatray Bharne, Rural Development Minister Jaykumar Gore, Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik, Cooperation Minister Babasaheb Patil, Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Makarand Jadhav Patil and Chief Secretary Rajesh Agarwal.
The immediate administrative milestones are the release of the preliminary notification by Saturday, the start of statewide panchnamas and the Chief Minister’s inspection of affected areas. The state will subsequently prepare and submit its proposal for central relief assistance under NDRF norms.
