Drought declared, but when will aid arrive: Congress chief Sapkal asks government

Politics over drought has heated up in Maharashtra. The government has declared drought in a large part of the state, but Congress state president Harshwardhan Sapkal has raised the question of when farmers will actually get substantial financial help. He said direct aid should first be credited to the bank accounts of drought-hit farmers, with the panchnama formality completed afterward.

Sapkal said Dussehra and Diwali are around the corner, and the government should take an immediate decision so that farmers' homes are not left dark during the festivals. His main demand is that compensation of 1 lakh rupees per hectare be deposited directly into farmers' accounts.

He said declaring drought is only the first step, but what matters more is how much help actually reaches farmers and when. According to Sapkal, the government should not offer only token concessions and create a situation where, as the saying goes, "the king was generous but only handed over a begging bowl."

According to Sapkal, this year's kharif season has been largely ruined. The condition of water and fodder for animals is also serious. Several villages and settlements are facing drinking water shortages, and some towns are also short of water.

With the kharif season lost, farmers are now looking to the rabi season, but Sapkal said the rabi season too is under threat due to lack of water availability. He therefore demanded that seeds and fertiliser be provided free for the rabi season, that crop loans be waived, and that farmers be given special financial assistance. He also demanded that adequate fodder and animal feed be made available to save livestock.

Sapkal also said the question of the education of farming families' children is serious. His demand is that the entire academic fee, not just the examination fee, be waived for students, and that separate financial assistance be arranged for agricultural labourers.

Meanwhile, accusing some ministers of the ruling party of targeting the opposition, Sapkal said it is not right to argue that since the government has declared drought, the opposition should not ask questions. He said asking questions of the government is the constitutional right of opposition parties, and ministers in power do not need to lecture the opposition.

According to Sapkal, the drought is increasing the financial burden on farmers and agricultural labourers, and concrete help should be given without delay. All eyes are now on what stance the government takes on these demands.