Maharashtra Declares Drought in 265 Talukas; Full List of Relief Measures
The Maharashtra government has issued a GR declaring drought in 265 of 368 talukas under Trigger-1 following rainfall deficits. The state ordered crop damage panchnamas and rolled out major relief measures, including crop loan restructuring, stays on recovery, agricultural pump power bill waivers, student fee exemptions, drinking water tankers, and fodder camps.
The Maharashtra government on Saturday, September 26, issued a Government Resolution (GR) declaring drought in 265 out of 368 talukas across the state, bringing nearly three-fourths of the state under drought mitigation measures. Various drought mitigation measures and benefits will now be applicable in these areas following an assessment of rainfall deficits and agricultural stress.
According to the GR, Trigger-1 has been declared in 265 talukas where the prescribed drought parameters have been met, PTI reported. The decision was taken after the state government received a consolidated preliminary report on the prevailing agricultural and weather situation in Maharashtra. District collectors in the respective districts have been directed to immediately conduct panchnamas (crop-damage assessments) across the notified areas. Maharashtra UCC Committee Faces Setback as Justice R C Chavan Resigns Over Public Feedback Process Dispute.
Three-Stage Matrix and Trigger-1 Declaration
The state government has a three-stage trigger matrix for declaring drought, based on meteorological and other parameters. Based on the assessment under Trigger-1, drought has been declared in 265 talukas across Maharashtra, setting the stage for direct state support and subsequent assessments.
The declaration covers major swathes of Marathwada, Vidarbha, North Maharashtra, and Western Maharashtra, alongside sections of the Konkan division where precipitation thresholds were breached.
District-Wise Distribution of Affected Areas
The district-wise breakup of the drought-declared talukas reflects widespread distress:
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Konkan Division: Raigad has one taluka declared drought-affected, while Ratnagiri has three and Sindhudurg has eight.
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North Maharashtra: Nashik has ten, Dhule four, Jalgaon 15, Nandurbar six, and Ahilyanagar 14 talukas.
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Western Maharashtra: Pune has eight, Solapur 11, Sangli four, Satara six, and Kolhapur six talukas.
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Marathwada: Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar has nine, Jalna eight, Beed 11, Latur ten, Dharashiv eight, Nanded 14, Parbhani nine, and Hingoli five talukas.
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Vidarbha: Buldhana has 13, Amravati 14, Akola seven, Washim six, Yavatmal 16, Wardha seven, Nagpur 14, Bhandara three, Gondia one, Chandrapur 12, and Gadchiroli two talukas.
Financial Relief, Loan Restructuring, and Fee Waivers
The state government has initiated various mitigation measures in the 265 drought-declared talukas to provide immediate economic breathing room for agrarian families. These include:
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A full waiver of land revenue.
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Restructuring of farmers’ crop loans and a complete stay on the recovery of crop loans.
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Waiver of electricity bills for agricultural pumps.
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Exemption from school and college examination and tuition fees for students belonging to drought-affected areas.
The government has also decided not to halt ongoing or planned work related to providing electricity connections to agricultural pumps.
Employment Generation, Water Supply, and Cattle Support
The GR further states that the state government will undertake rural employment-related programmes to generate local employment in the affected areas, preventing distress migration to urban centres.
To address water scarcity, the government will deploy drinking-water tanker supplies in drought-affected areas wherever required. In addition, works related to the development of check dams will be undertaken, and comprehensive plans will be prepared to ensure adequate drinking water for people and water for livestock in the affected regions.
The administration will also ensure the uninterrupted supply of foodgrains to farmers and agricultural labourers whose livelihoods depend directly on farming and agricultural work. Furthermore, according to the GR, fodder camps will be established to ensure adequate fodder and veterinary care for livestock across all 265 drought-declared talukas.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 26, 2026 12:50 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
