Drought declared in 265 talukas, but farmers ask when the money will come

The Maharashtra government has issued a government resolution (GR) declaring drought-like conditions (Trigger-1) in 265 talukas across six revenue divisions of the state. But the announcement has not eased farmers' worries, instead raising a new question: when will the actual relief money be credited to their bank accounts. Across Maharashtra, the angry question being asked is whether farmers will have to wait until Diwali for help.

The state government has put in place a total of 12 measures and concessions to give relief to farmers, farm labourers, students, ordinary citizens and animals in the affected areas. These include waivers on land revenue, restructuring of crop loans and an immediate halt on recovery of farming-related loans. Current electricity bills for agricultural pumps up to 7.5 horsepower have been waived, meaning even pumps whose bills were not already waived will now get relief, and electricity connections for farm pumps will not be cut in villages facing water scarcity. Examination fees for school and college students in the affected areas will be waived. Conditions for works under the employment guarantee scheme will be relaxed so that more works can be started, and full grain supply will be ensured for farmers and labourers. Water tankers will be deployed for drinking water wherever needed, fodder will be arranged for animals, and water conservation work will also be prioritised.

The 265 talukas covered under Trigger-1 include all the state's major divisions. Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar division has the most, with 74 talukas, followed by Amravati division with 56, Nashik division with 49, Nagpur division with 39 and Pune division with 35 talukas. Thane division has 12 talukas on the list, including some talukas from Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts, while not a single taluka from Thane or Palghar district is included.

The decision on compensation for crop losses will be separate. Under the set process, aid will be announced only through a separate government resolution after panchnamas (crop-loss assessments) and surveys are completed, so the government has given special emphasis to panchnamas and verification of the actual state of crops.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Makarand Jadhav-Patil have made clear that following this decision, district collectors have been instructed to immediately start crop surveys and panchnamas in the affected talukas. The revenue and agriculture departments have been directed to work together and are required to submit reports with geo-tagged photographs and GPS locations showing the state of crops. Minister Makarand Jadhav-Patil said the aid will be transferred directly into farmers' bank accounts through DBT, and the money will reach drought-affected farmers' accounts before Diwali.

But the real question on the ground is that however good the GR may look on paper, it will affect farmers' lives only if it is implemented quickly. Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar launched a sharp attack on the government, saying it is highly condemnable to keep farmers tied up in paperwork and strict conditions at a time of crisis. He said areas like Chandrapur and Gadchiroli are facing severe drought, yet a taluka like Brahmapuri has been left out. Wadettiwar demanded that the government immediately remove all strict conditions and the 2.5-hectare limit, and directly credit aid of Rs 1 lakh per hectare into farmers' accounts. He alleged that the government is pursuing a policy of delaying aid in the name of paperwork and conditions.

The Chief Minister and the minister have directed district collectors to carry out panchnamas immediately, and reports with geo-tagged photographs and GPS locations are being sought, but the question remains as to when the panchnamas will be done, when the report will reach the ministry, and when the separate government resolution will follow. Farmers remain anxious through this long process. The minister says the money will reach accounts before Diwali, but when and how this amount actually arrives will be decided only in the days ahead.