Maharashtra Declares 265 Talukas Drought-Affected and Launches Relief

The Government of Maharashtra declared 265 talukas as drought-affected on September 26, 2026, after rainfall shortfalls during the Kharif season. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis initiated the Trigger-1 First Alert measures, which include land revenue exemptions, crop loan restructuring, moratoriums on agriculture-related loan recoveries, and electricity bill waivers for agricultural pumps. The relief package also extends to student examination fee waivers and relaxed Employment Guarantee Scheme criteria.

To ensure long-term resource management, the state is implementing district-wise water planning to maintain availability through August 2027. Fadnavis noted that the government is monitoring the impact of El Nino, expected to peak in February, while simultaneously managing flooding in Gadchiroli caused by rainfall in neighboring Chhattisgarh.

Opposition leaders criticized the measures as insufficient. Maharashtra State Congress President Harshvardhan Sapkal and NCP leader Rohit Pawar demanded direct financial assistance and crop loan waivers rather than concessions. UBT Sena MLA Aaditya Thackeray argued the declaration was merely on paper and did not reflect actual crop losses. In response, Deputy CM Sunetra Ajit Pawar visited affected farms in Loha taluka, asserting that the state would stand firmly with farmers during the crisis.