The Maharashtra government has declared 265 of the state’s 358 talukas drought-affected, placing about 74% of its talukas under a relief framework that includes drinking water measures, farm-loan support, electricity concessions and expanded employment-guarantee works.
The declaration applies to talukas that met the state’s “Trigger-1” criteria for drought. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced the decision and a package of measures for farmers, agricultural labourers, students, livestock owners and other residents in affected areas.
Under the relief measures, land revenue concessions will be provided and crop loans will be restructured. Recovery of agriculture-related loans will be halted, while electricity connections to agricultural pumps will not be disconnected. The government has also extended electricity bill relief to agricultural pumps with capacity above 7.5 horsepower; electricity charges for pumps up to that capacity had already been waived, according to the report.
Students in affected areas will receive concessions on examination fees. The government also plans to relax rules under the Employment Guarantee Scheme so that more works can be started. The measures are intended to provide wage opportunities while water-conservation work is undertaken in drought-affected regions.
The administration will supply drinking water through tankers wherever necessary. Farmers and agricultural labourers dependent on farming will receive grain, while arrangements will be made for fodder and water for animals. Existing planning for drinking water and livestock water supplies will continue under earlier government orders.
The decision places district administrations at the centre of the immediate response. District collectors have been instructed to complete the panchnama process without delay to record crop losses. Officials have also been ordered to collect photographs showing crop conditions and GPS-based data, creating a documented basis for assessing damage and processing relief.
The announcement follows the chief minister’s visit to Washim on September 24, where he said the state would soon issue a government resolution to declare severe drought in affected areas. During that visit, Fadnavis also said eligible farmers who had been left out of previous schemes would receive the benefit of crop-loan waivers.
The response combines household relief with administrative measures: uninterrupted drinking-water planning, fodder distribution, farm-credit intervention, power-bill concessions and employment works. The immediate implementation will depend on district-level damage assessment, identification of eligible beneficiaries and the rollout of water and livestock support in locations where local supplies are inadequate.
District collectors are expected to complete the crop-loss documentation and submit the required field data as the government begins implementing the drought-relief measures across the 265 declared talukas.
