Maharashtra drought survey begins, ministers to visit fields, first notification by Saturday

Uneven and deficient rainfall in several parts of Maharashtra has deepened the crisis for kharif season crops. The state government has decided to conduct a direct assessment of drought-like conditions and speed up panchnama surveys of crop damage. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the deputy chief ministers and other ministers are setting out from today on visits to different districts to inspect the situation in farmers' fields.

Fadnavis has announced that the first notification on drought will be issued before Saturday. Based on information received so far, areas showing drought-like conditions will be included in this notification. He clarified that other areas can be added later as new information comes in.

Given the drought-like conditions in the state, panchnama surveys of crop damage began on Wednesday. The actual situation will be confirmed based on reports from the ground. According to preliminary information, several areas have seen a large gap in rainfall and crops have dried up. Fadnavis said soyabean, maize, cotton, jowar and paddy crops have been badly affected in particular. The panchnamas will tell the government how much damage has actually occurred, which areas are worst affected, and what kind of help farmers need.

After a cabinet meeting, Fadnavis reiterated that the first drought notification would be issued before Saturday, covering drought-affected areas based on information received by the government so far, with further areas to be added to the notification as reports come in. He said that ground-level reports show drought-like conditions in most parts of the state, with the rainfall gap causing major crop damage in many places.

The state government is preparing to send a proposal to the central government seeking financial assistance to deal with the drought, but Fadnavis said the state would not sit idle while waiting for central assistance. He said the state government had previously provided help to farmers during drought or excess rainfall without waiting for central assistance, and would take similar prompt steps this time too. With the next seven to eight months being critical, all concerned departments have also been directed to plan for drinking water supply, meaning the government is dealing not just with crop losses but also the prospect of water shortages ahead.

Fadnavis will visit two locations in Latur district today, followed by Eramala and Tuljapur in Kalamb taluka of Dharashiv district, and then three locations in Solapur district. Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will assess the drought situation in Amravati, Akola and Buldhana districts. Shinde has directed all his ministers to personally visit fields to get panchnamas done and hold public hearings in villages.

The drought situation in Varud and Morshi talukas of Amravati district has also drawn the government's attention. Devendra Bhuyar, former MLA from Morshi assembly constituency, met Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar in Mumbai and gave her a detailed account of the drought, farmers' and residents' difficulties, and water shortage in Varud-Morshi taluka, following which Pawar spoke to the Amravati district collector to get an update on the situation there.

To take quick decisions on drought, the state government has formed a cabinet sub-committee. After discussions on farmers' and drought-related issues at the cabinet meeting chaired by Fadnavis, it was decided to form a drought relief cabinet sub-committee headed by Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule. Ministers Girish Mahajan, Gulabrao Patil, Pankaja Munde, Dattatray Bharne, Jaykumar Gore, Sanjay Rathod, Pratap Sarnaik, Babasaheb Patil and Makarand Jadhav-Patil have been made members of the committee, while Chief Secretary Rajesh Agarwal will be the member secretary. The committee has been given powers equal to the cabinet so that decisions on which areas are drought-hit, what measures are needed there, and what help farmers should get can be taken quickly.

Fadnavis has also asked ministers and MLAs to visit farmers' fields to inspect crops. Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Dattatray Bharne has been given responsibility for holding review meetings on drought at all revenue divisions in the state, but the model code of conduct arising from the announcement of elections to five Legislative Council seats could affect these meetings. A review meeting scheduled in Pune on Wednesday is in limbo for this reason, and the agriculture department will need permission from the Election Commission of India to hold it.