Central teams begin drought assessment in Maharashtra, get first briefing from state government

A Union government team has arrived in Maharashtra to assess the drought situation in the state. On Thursday, the central team took preliminary information on the drought from the state government in Mumbai. It reviewed the criteria applied while declaring drought in 265 talukas of the state. The condition of crops, water storage, availability of fodder, crop damage surveys (panchnamas) and the situation in different agro-climatic zones were also discussed. Chief Secretary Rajesh Agarwal made a presentation on the current situation in the state to the central team.

Three Union government teams are currently touring Maharashtra. Of these, the team led by Muktanand Agrawal, Joint Secretary in the Union Agriculture Department, took stock of the situation in the state at the Sahyadri Guest House. The team includes Sunil Kumar Dubey, Deputy Director in the Statistics Department; Dr Jaspal Singh, Adviser at NITI Aayog; and Dr Sakshi Bhadoria, Livestock Development Officer in the Animal Husbandry and Dairying Department.

The state government told the central team that the effects of the drought are severe in some districts of western Maharashtra as well, besides Marathwada and Vidarbha. The team was also told that some changes were made to the list of districts fixed by the Union government after discussions. The central teams will visit and inspect the areas where the drought situation is serious.

A meeting of the central teams with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is likely on Sunday or Monday, an official said.

After the field inspections are completed, the central team will return to Mumbai. On October 11, there will be a detailed discussion with state government officials on the drought situation and the findings of the inspections. Through this tour, the actual state of the drought in the state, the crop losses, water scarcity and the facts about the assistance required will be placed before the Union government.

At Thursday's meeting, Agriculture Department Secretary Parimal Singh and Commissioner Suraj Mandhare presented objective figures on crop losses in different districts to the central team. State officials thus gave the team information both as a presentation and as figures.