Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced on Tuesday that while the concept of a wet drought does not exist, the state government will continue to provide the same assistance as during previous droughts, particularly for farmers. The Chief Minister noted that the Cabinet conducted a thorough review of the damage inflicted on agriculture and properties due to severe rains and flooding in Marathwada and other regions. Preliminary assessments indicate that approximately 60 lakh hectares of farmland have been impacted by the heavy rains and floods. “There is ongoing demand for a declaration of wet drought, but our guidelines do not recognize this term. A wet drought has never been officially declared.
However, the Cabinet resolved to offer the same benefits and concessions to those affected, as are provided during drought conditions. The government will implement similar measures to assist farmers facing drought-related shortages. We are currently compiling the damage data, which will be finalized in the next two to four days,” the Chief Minister stated. He added that an announcement regarding a relief package for farmers is expected next week. Chief Minister Fadnavis also mentioned that the state government has begun distributing Rs 2,215 crore to farmers, with funds set to be directly deposited into the accounts of affected farmers before Diwali. He noted that the e-KYC requirement has been relaxed for this assistance.
This announcement follows demands from the opposition parties, including Shiv Sena-UBT, Congress, and NCP-SP, for the government to declare a wet drought and provide financial aid of Rs 50,000 per hectare. The opposition has also called on Governor Acharya Devvrat to hold a three-day special session of the State Legislature to address the impact of the monsoon and the necessary financial support for farmers and citizens. Last week, Chief Minister Fadnavis submitted separate memoranda to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, requesting significant support from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF). He emphasized the need for maximum relief allocation from the NDRF to effectively assist affected farmers and help restore their livelihoods.
The maximum assistance from the NDRF would support loss and land damage, provide aid to flood-affected families, assist with damaged homes, and address losses to properties. A comprehensive proposal for support for flood-affected agricultural land is being forwarded to the Central government, he added. The Chief Minister expressed deep concern over the damages caused by heavy rains and floods in several districts of Maharashtra, highlighting the unprecedented destruction to agricultural land and the severe impact on the livelihoods of countless farmers statewide.