Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced on October 14, 2026, that drought covers 305 of Maharashtra’s 358 talukas, with Rs 5,000 per farmer to be paid before Diwali.
Twelve standard drought concessions will continue, and farm loan waiver payments are being credited, according to the reports.
The total cost, the number of beneficiaries and the loan waiver amounts were not given in the reports reviewed.
No reaction from opposition parties or farmer organisations was included.
Reports also mention education fee waivers, water tankers and fodder support as part of the relief.
Payments under the state’s farm loan waiver scheme are being credited to beneficiaries’ accounts, according to NewsDrum, which gave no amounts or beneficiary numbers.
Another report says the government has identified 3.5 lakh farmers for the loan waiver scheme, and the process is under way.
Groundwater has fallen sharply, especially in the Marathwada region, according to NewsDrum.
The government is increasing the number of drinking water tankers, introducing GPS tracking for them and has disconnected 16,000 unauthorised water connections, according to the same report.
Measures to address the shortage of fodder for livestock are also planned, according to NewsDrum.
The articles reviewed carried no reaction from opposition parties or farmer organisations to the announcement.
A taluka is an administrative sub-division of a district, and a drought declaration unlocks relief measures under the state’s drought manual and the possibility of central assistance.
The reports say the final number of beneficiaries and the total cost of the advance had not been announced.
Farmers should check with their local tehsil office and bank for details of how and when the money will be credited.
Details of the relief may change as the state government issues formal orders.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, that drought now covers 305 of the state’s 358 talukas, according to ANI, The Statesman and Deccan Herald.
Mantralaya, Mumbai (file image), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
