Maharashtra expands drought list to 305 talukas, gives ₹5,000 Diwali relief

Maharashtra has widened its official drought-hit list to 305 of the state's 358 talukas, adding 40 more administrative units to ensure farming households receive state backing before the festival season.

Alongside the expanded coverage, the state Cabinet approved an immediate relief payment of ₹5,000 for each affected farmer, to be deposited directly into bank accounts before Diwali. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced the measures following a review meeting in Mumbai, pointing out that the administration moved months ahead of the usual December relief cycle to provide prompt liquidity.

"Normally help is given in December," Fadnavis said. "This Diwali is going to be difficult for farmers. Considering this situation, we have discussed and decided to provide assistance to farmers in the coming days. We have decided to give Rs 5,000 to farmers as a Diwali bonus. This amount should reach the farmers' accounts before Diwali."

Fast-tracking relief and credit support

The financial package builds on broader social safety nets already rolling out across the state, including ongoing farm loan waivers. The government has instructed commercial banks and district credit societies not to initiate any loan recovery proceedings against farmers during the crisis.

Crop damage assessments have covered 75% of the 32,927 villages identified as vulnerable. Water shortages have affected 14.1 million farmers and damaged crops over 14.93 million hectares across both kharif and rabi planting cycles.

Managing water supply and fodder

To tackle severe groundwater depletion — with water tables dropping below three metres in parts of Marathwada — the state has expanded municipal tanker services and mandated real-time GPS tracking on all delivery vehicles. Enforcement teams have disconnected 16,000 illegal water taps to safeguard local pipelines, and drinking water reserves have been set aside to last until August 2027.

Fodder management remains an urgent priority, with current reserves estimated to last between 90 and 120 days. The administration plans to purchase fodder at guaranteed prices while encouraging farmers to sow fast-growing feed for livestock.

Coordination with the Centre

The state's proactive relief framework follows close engagement with New Delhi. Fadnavis met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on 7 October to submit an interim ₹17,500-crore relief proposal, which earmarks ₹13,000 crore for agricultural damage and ₹4,500 crore for fodder logistics under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF). An 11-member central inter-ministerial delegation completed on-ground inspections in the affected districts last week, pledging maximum financial backing.

During the briefing, the state Cabinet also passed a resolution commending Prime Minister Narendra Modi on completing 25 years as a head of government since his initial appointment in Gujarat on 7 October 2001. Fadnavis pointed to extensive central investments transforming Maharashtra's infrastructure and irrigation networks — including 29 major dam projects, the Samruddhi Expressway, Atal Setu, and the Baliraja Sanjivani Yojana — as key pillars anchoring the state's economic resilience during seasonal hardships.