Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde has directed banks and microfinance institutions to avoid coercive loan recovery from drought-hit farmers, while ordering the administration to speed up crop-loss assessments, financial assistance and water-supply planning in Nashik district.
Shinde issued the instructions during a review meeting at Niyojan Bhawan on the Nashik district collectorate premises. The meeting was attended by water resources and guardian minister Girish Mahajan, school education minister Dadaji Bhuse, food and drug administration minister Narhari Zirwal, mayor Himgauri Adke Aaher, MPs Rajabhau Waje and Bhaskar Bhagre, legislators Gokul Gite, Kishor Darade and Seema Hire, and senior district officials.
He instructed nationalised banks, cooperative banks and microfinance institutions to comply with government directions sensitively during the prevailing drought conditions. Shinde also asked divisional commissioner Praveen Gedam and collector Ayush Prasad to sensitise financial institutions about the order and ensure that farmers do not face coercive recovery measures during the crisis.
The deputy chief minister said crop damage assessments, application verifications and the distribution of financial assistance must be completed transparently and without delay. These administrative steps are central to the speed at which eligible farmers can receive drought-related relief, particularly where crop losses have already affected household income and repayment capacity.
Water scarcity was another major focus of the meeting. Shinde directed the administration to plan for drinking water, tanker supplies and cattle fodder through August 2027. He said the planning should be supported by employment guarantee works, dedicated water-conservation initiatives and efforts to increase water-storage capacity. The instructions place multiple departments, including revenue, agriculture, water resources, water conservation, animal husbandry and rural development, within a coordinated drought-response framework.
The meeting also addressed support for families affected by the drought. Shinde said psychological support for distressed farmers was important and asked officials to ensure the effective implementation of educational concessions for students in drought-affected areas. He said farmers should approach government departments for assistance and assured them that the administration would provide necessary aid.
The directions will require district and financial authorities to convert the government’s stated position into operational action at the local level. The administration’s immediate responsibilities include communicating the loan-recovery instructions to lending institutions, completing crop-damage documentation, verifying applications, distributing assistance and organising water and fodder supplies. The Nashik administration has been asked to coordinate these measures across departments as drought conditions continue.
