CM Fadnavis orders on-ground survey to help drought-hit farmers in Ballarpur, Jiwati, Brahmapuri

Mumbai: Ballarpur, Jiwati and Brahmapuri talukas had been left out of the drought-affected list. MLA Sudhir Mungantiwar met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at the Varsha residence in Mumbai and demanded justice for farmers in these talukas. The Chief Minister has since directed the Additional Chief Secretary, Relief and Rehabilitation Department, to conduct an on-ground inspection and provide help to drought-affected farmers.

Rain in Chandrapur district during the 2026 kharif season was erratic and uneven. Noting that the condition of crops is worrying and that water availability and the financial strain on farmers are growing, Mr Mungantiwar has drawn the government's attention to the matter from time to time. After 12 talukas of the district were included in the drought-affected list, he raised the issue directly with the Chief Minister so that farmers in the remaining three talukas also get equal justice.

In his memorandum to the Chief Minister, Mr Mungantiwar sought an objective review of rainfall, the present condition of crops, water availability and the actual drought situation in all three talukas. His position was that a decision should not be taken merely on previously set criteria or available statistics, that the ground situation should be examined, and that relief should be given to farmers who have suffered losses.

Mr Fadnavis responded positively to this position. He stressed checking the actual situation through ground truthing, understanding the condition of crops through the new crop survey method, and establishing the facts by carrying out the necessary panchnamas. The Additional Chief Secretary, Relief and Rehabilitation Department, has been directed to take the necessary action so that farmers who have felt the direct impact of the drought are not denied help.

This has opened the way for a fresh verification of the ground situation, with a view to including Ballarpur, Jiwati and Brahmapuri talukas in the drought-affected list. Once the inspection and panchnamas make the severity of the drought and the crop losses clear, the process of taking further decisions on that basis will begin.

If included in the drought-affected list, the farmers concerned will get various government concessions. These include a waiver on electricity bills, no disconnection of power connections, exam fee concessions for students, water supply, and aid and compensation according to crop loss. The government has taken positive steps so that drought-affected farmers get timely relief on the basis of the inspection and panchnamas, and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has also directed prompt action.

"How grave the crisis is in a farmer's field can be understood only by going to his field boundary, not from statistics on paper. Farmers in Ballarpur, Jiwati and Brahmapuri should therefore not be denied drought relief merely because they were left out of a list. My position is that the actual situation should come out through ground truthing, crop survey and panchnamas, and that every eligible farmer hit by the drought should get help. I thank Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for issuing prompt directions on this," Mr Mungantiwar said.

Mr Mungantiwar pursued the matter with the aim of standing by the farmer in his hour of crisis, carrying his voice to the highest level of government and securing him justice on the basis of actual losses. Farmers' hopes in Ballarpur, Jiwati and Brahmapuri have now found a new direction.