40 more talukas declared drought-hit, Rs 5,000 relief for farmers before Diwali

Mumbai: The Maharashtra Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at the Sahyadri guest house on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, added 40 talukas to the state's drought list and promised farmers Rs 5,000 each before Diwali. With the addition, the number of drought-declared talukas has gone from 265 to 305, out of 358 in the state. They are spread over 32 districts.

Mr Fadnavis said the money would go straight into the bank accounts of beneficiaries ahead of the festival. Help of this kind normally arrives in December, he said, but the government chose to move earlier this year. He acknowledged that crop losses and scarce water were pushing farm families deeper into financial trouble. "This year's Diwali is going to be difficult for farmers," he said, adding that the payment is meant to cover festival-season expenses. Money is also being credited to farmers' accounts under the loan waiver scheme, he said. One account of the briefing described the payment as an advance and another as a special bonus; both put the amount at Rs 5,000.

Drought Trigger 1 had already been applied in the talukas notified earlier, and the administration is now working quickly to extend it to every taluka on the list, including the new ones. Relief work will be given priority in these areas.

The Chief Minister said cooperative societies, district banks, nationalised banks and microfinance companies have been told firmly not to harass farmers for loan recovery. Microfinance firms are under watch and have been warned against excesses. He also noted that farm electricity up to 7.5 horsepower is free in the state, and that anyone still pressing farmers for power bills will be told to stop.

On drinking water, Mr Fadnavis said groundwater has been falling steadily and has dropped below three metres in the affected areas, so the number of tankers is going up. To check irregularities, tankers will be tracked by GPS. Stern action has been ordered against illegal drawing of water, and 16,000 connections have been cut so far. Safe drinking water will get priority, he said.

Answering a question, he said instructions have been issued to waive examination fees in full for students in drought-hit talukas, with no conditions attached.

The Cabinet also reviewed the fodder position in detail. Farmers were advised to raise fodder crops wherever water exists, and to grow fodder varieties such as jowar in the rabi season as well. The government will purchase the fodder farmers grow at a guaranteed price.

Among other decisions, the Cabinet cleared a pilgrimage-oriented development plan at Girda village in Buldhana taluka and district. The land, 19 hectares 6 R of government property, had been handed to Shri Sant Gajanan Maharaj Sansthan, Shegaon, for planting trees. At the Sansthan's request, permanent structures will now be allowed on 3 hectares 81 R of it. The plan includes a memorial centre, an eco-tourism centre, meditation huts, a residential complex, an auditorium, an exhibition centre, an open stage, a naturopathy centre, an Ayurvedic research centre, a hospital and rural cottage industries. The permission is granted under Section 40 of the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code, 1966, and carries conditions. Chief among them: beyond the area needed for buildings, the other 15 hectares 25 R must be kept for trees alone.

The Cabinet further revised how small, narrow, unusable plots without access, owned by the government, are handed over to neighbours. Rules 37 and 37A of the Maharashtra Land Revenue (Disposal of Government Land) Rules, 1971, will be amended. The policy fixed on August 5, 2025 capped such an allotment at 10 per cent of the neighbouring holder's total area. After public representatives asked for a higher ratio, the cap has been set at 25 per cent. Where a plot cannot be built on, the condition may be eased with government approval. A plot where building is not allowed must stay as permanent open space. Should development rules change later and construction occur, the state will be entitled to collect the difference at the then-prevailing rate, along with a premium.

The Cabinet also adopted a resolution congratulating Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 25 years in office as head of government, counted from October 7, 2001, when he became Gujarat's Chief Minister, to October 7, 2026. He became Prime Minister in 2014. The resolution praises his leadership and his contribution to national development, particularly steps for economically weaker and deprived sections. The state will forward it to the Prime Minister.

Citing housing, health, sanitation and One Nation One Ration Card, Mr Fadnavis said these schemes have benefited people across the country. In Maharashtra, he pointed to the metro network, Atal Setu, the Samruddhi Expressway and Navi Mumbai International Airport. He listed 29 major irrigation projects, the Baliraja Sanjeevani Yojana, the PM-KUSUM solar farming scheme, Mudra loans, 29,000 completed water supply schemes, rural employment, the AURIC city in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, railway electrification and the Indu Mill land for the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar memorial. Projects worth Rs 12 lakh crore are under way in the state, he said, and he reiterated the goal of helping India become a 5 trillion dollar economy by 2029.

For drought-hit farmers, the things that matter now are the promised payment, timely loan waiver instalments and dependable drinking water. The test for the government is whether relief reaches eligible beneficiaries before Diwali and whether water management keeps pace with the demand.