Sharad Pawar writes to CM Fadnavis seeking special session on Maharashtra drought

Amid the severe drought situation in Maharashtra, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) president Sharad Pawar has written directly to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, placing 17 key demands before the state government.

In his letter, Pawar has asked the government to take immediate steps to provide relief to drought-hit farmers, farm labourers and ordinary villagers. He has also demanded that a three-day special session of the legislature be called to discuss the drought crisis in detail.

Meanwhile, even though the state government has declared drought in the state, opposition parties are unhappy with the government's approach. The opposition says the government's notification only lists facilities that farmers were already receiving, and several parties have demanded that the government clarify this.

At the same time, various state government departments have started working on the issue. Following the chief minister's instructions, surveys (panchnama) will now be conducted directly at farmers' fields. The state government has directed officials from district collectors down to talathis to work on farmers' various concerns.

Sharad Pawar also wrote on Twitter that, to ensure immediate relief for Maharashtra's drought-hit farmers, farm labourers and rural citizens, he has made 17 demands to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis through the letter.

Among the 17 demands in Pawar's letter, the key ones are as follows. Talukas that meet drought criteria but have not yet been declared drought-hit should be declared so immediately. Land revenue should be waived across drought-affected areas. Farm loans, along with loans from cooperative and nationalised banks, personal loans from the minority and tribal welfare departments, horticulture loans, and loans of women's self-help groups should be waived in full. All electricity bills, including pending bills for agricultural pumps, should be waived.

School and college fees, hostel fees and mess fees for students in drought-affected areas should be waived entirely. Rules under the employment guarantee scheme (MNREGA) should be relaxed so that work is provided immediately within a 3-kilometre radius wherever demanded. The power to sanction drinking water tankers should be given to the tehsildar instead of the district collector with immediate effect. Electricity supply to farmers' agricultural pumps should not be cut at all, and load-shedding should be stopped immediately.

Every farmer and farm labourer family should be given 25 kilograms of free grain every month. Grants for fodder for the cattle of distressed farmers should be deposited directly into their bank accounts. Special funds should be sanctioned by the state to complete pending water conservation works. Farmers suffering losses should get direct assistance of Rs 1 lakh per hectare, and farm labourer families should get Rs 25,000.

Farmers growing horticultural crops, bananas, sugarcane and paddy should receive immediate financial assistance. An order should be issued immediately to supply water by tanker to save orchards that are drying up. Subsidies under stalled government schemes offering individual benefits should be deposited into farmers' accounts without delay. Pawar has also demanded that the entire drought relief fund be handed over directly to divisional commissioners and district collectors.