Story perspectives

Maharashtra adds 40 talukas to drought list, approves INR5,000

By Drooid · Oct 14, 2026, 5:17 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Maharashtra cabinet approved adding 40 talukas to the drought-hit list, raising the total to 305.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said INR5,000 will be deposited directly into farmers’ bank accounts before Diwali.
The INR5,000 payment is framed as an advance on central drought relief because the centre’s assessment was incomplete.
Maharashtra is requesting a INR17,500-crore relief package, covering INR13,000 crore for crop losses and INR4,500 crore for fodder.

History

Historical Context

In 2009, the Government of India launched a INR2,000-crore National Drought Relief Programme after severe water shortages crippled Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Rajasthan. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh approved the fund, while the Ministry of Agriculture allocated INR500 crore to Maharashtra’s crop-loss compensation, overseen by the NDMA. Today, Maharashtra’s cabinet again seeks a INR17,500-crore package and deposits INR5,000 per farmer, echoing the 2009 strategy of central-state cash transfers to mitigate drought damage. If the new funds match past disbursements, the combined relief could exceed INR20 billion, potentially stabilizing harvests and preventing rural migration in the coming season.

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Story summary

Maharashtra cabinet approved adding 40 talukas to the drought-hit list, raising the total to 305.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said INR5,000 will be deposited directly into farmers’ bank accounts before Diwali.
The INR5,000 payment is framed as an advance on central drought relief because the centre’s assessment was incomplete.
Maharashtra is requesting a INR17,500-crore relief package, covering INR13,000 crore for crop losses and INR4,500 crore for fodder.

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