The Maharashtra government has formed a 10-member cabinet subcommittee to respond to drought conditions, drinking-water shortages and fodder scarcity across the state, giving it authority to monitor affected areas and recommend immediate relief measures. Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule will chair the panel.
According to a report by Loksatta, the committee has been authorised to continuously review drought-related conditions and take appropriate decisions. It will also conduct field visits to areas facing shortages and assess the situation directly with farmers and villagers before planning relief measures.
The panel includes 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, Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Makarand Patil and Cooperation Minister Babasaheb Patil.
Its responsibilities cover crop damage assessments, drinking-water planning, livestock needs and recommendations to the state cabinet. The committee will review the panchnamas documenting crop losses and make recommendations on assistance to affected farmers. Panchnamas are field-level assessments used by the administration to record damage and determine eligibility for relief.
The committee has also been asked to assess water availability in every district and plan drinking-water supplies according to local requirements. The report said the panel will consider the number of animals in each district while planning measures to prevent fodder shortages. This places water access, agricultural losses and livestock support within a single administrative review mechanism.
The arrangement gives the committee a broad coordination role across departments responsible for revenue, disaster management, water supply, agriculture, rural development, animal husbandry and relief. Its field-based mandate is intended to connect state-level decisions with conditions in affected villages, where water availability and crop damage can vary significantly between districts.
The subcommittee is required to meet every week and submit a comprehensive drought report to the chief minister and both deputy chief ministers. It will also recommend urgent decisions to the state cabinet based on conditions on the ground. The report did not specify the districts currently classified as drought-affected, the amount of relief to be released or a separate timeline for implementing the committee’s recommendations.
