MUMBAI, 28 September 2026: The Maharashtra government has declared drought in 265 of the state’s 368 talukas after the affected areas met the prescribed criteria under Trigger-1 of the state’s drought assessment framework.
The government issued a Government Resolution (GR) on Saturday, directing district collectors to conduct panchnamas, or field-level crop-loss assessments, in the drought-affected areas.
Maharashtra follows a three-stage trigger matrix that uses meteorological and other parameters to assess drought conditions. The latest declaration was made following a consolidated preliminary report submitted to the state government on the situation across the state.
Yavatmal has highest number of affected talukas
The drought-affected talukas are spread across 32 districts of Maharashtra.
Yavatmal has the highest number of affected talukas at 16, followed by Jalgaon with 15. Ahilyanagar, Nanded, Amravati and Nagpur have 14 talukas each included in the drought declaration.
The district-level assessment will now be supported by field surveys to determine the extent of crop losses and the assistance required by farmers.
Relief for farmers and agricultural workers
The state government has announced a package of relief measures aimed at reducing the financial burden on farmers and agricultural households in the affected areas.
The measures include waiver of land revenue, restructuring of crop loans and suspension of loan recovery. Farmers will also receive relief on electricity bills for agricultural pumps.
Students from drought-affected areas will be exempted from school and college fees, according to the government decision.
The government will also implement rural employment programmes to create jobs locally in drought-hit areas, providing an alternative source of income for rural households affected by agricultural losses.
Drinking water and fodder support
Ensuring access to drinking water will be another priority under the relief programme. The government will deploy drinking-water tankers wherever required and prepare plans to ensure adequate water supplies for both people and livestock.
Fodder camps will also be established in affected areas to support livestock-dependent households.
The government has further directed authorities to continue work on providing electricity connections to agricultural pumps.
Foodgrain supplies for affected households
The state will ensure foodgrain supplies to farmers and agricultural labourers dependent on agriculture for their livelihoods in the affected areas.
The relief programme will also include check-dam development works aimed at strengthening local water availability and improving water security.
The government’s measures come as drought conditions across the affected talukas are expected to put pressure on farm incomes, livestock and rural employment. The district administrations will now undertake ground-level assessments to quantify crop losses and implement the announced relief measures.
Image credit: indiawaterportal.org
