Ambegaon left off drought list; farmers seek direct aid, not assurances, ahead of festivals
Farmers in Ambegaon taluka, excluded from the 265 drought-declared talukas, say crops have withered and they need direct help before Dussehra and Diwali.
In many families in Ambegaon taluka, crops in the fields have withered and the grain stores at home are running low. Farmers are worried about where the money for Dussehra and Diwali will come from. They are struggling to pay for their children's education, illnesses in the family and daily needs.
The government has declared drought in 265 talukas of the state, but Ambegaon taluka has been left out. This has added to the difficulties of the taluka's farmers. The shortage of fodder for livestock is also becoming serious because of the drought.
The festival days are close. Markets are busy, and homes are being cleaned and readied with shopping and festive snacks. But in the homes of farmers hit by the drought, there is worry instead of joy. For lack of rain, the standing crop dried up, the harvest was lost and the money spent on the crop went waste. Farmers in the taluka now face the question of how to run their households.
Water could also become a problem. The Dimbhe dam, a boon for Ambegaon taluka, is filled to capacity. But its water goes not only to Ambegaon, Shirur and Junnar talukas but also to Shrigonda, Nagar and other areas. Other dams are not full, so the Dimbhe dam's water could run out early this year. If that happens, farmers could face a major water crisis.
Farmers say they need actual help rather than promises. Considering the rain deficit, crop losses and water scarcity, the government has announced several concessions and measures for farmers in drought-hit areas. The provisions include relief in land revenue, a deferment for those with loans, concessions on electricity bills, water supply, fodder, employment guarantee work and concessions on students' examination fees. But the question remains when farmers will actually receive the benefit of these decisions, because they are facing a severe shortage of money today.
Demands have also been raised on students' education. So that students in the drought-affected parts of Ambegaon taluka are not deprived of education because of financial difficulty, the demand is that the government waive the full educational fees of students for the academic years 2026-27 and 2027-28. It has also been said that a single-window system should be set up for all scholarship schemes to avoid the inconvenience in obtaining scholarships. There is also an expectation that students should get substantial financial support under the Earn and Learn scheme so that they can bear the cost of their own education.
