Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Sep 21: Veteran leader and former Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar is scheduled to tour drought-affected parts of Maharashtra from September 28 and meet farmers affected by deficient rainfall and crop losses.
The proposed visit comes amid reports of drought-like conditions across several parts of the State, with farmers reporting extensive damage to standing crops due to inadequate rainfall. Recent reports have said that around 280 of Maharashtra’s 355 talukas have received below-average rainfall this season.
Pawar has already written to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis seeking immediate measures for affected farmers. In his letter, he called for the State to declare drought without waiting for formal criteria and to extend drought-related concessions to severely affected talukas.
Among his demands is financial assistance of at least Rs 50,000 per hectare for farmers and Rs 25,000 per agricultural labourer family.
Pawar has also sought immediate implementation of a loan-waiver scheme and availability of fresh crop loans for farmers facing financial difficulties. He has demanded that the incentive for farmers who regularly repay their loans be increased from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh and that farmers whose crop loans taken in 2025-26 have become overdue this year also be covered under the proposed loan-waiver scheme.
He has called for effective implementation of the one-rupee crop insurance scheme and restoration of previously excluded triggers to ensure crop insurance coverage. He has also sought immediate distribution of the announced Rs 17,000 per hectare crop-insurance assistance for losses caused by unseasonal rains last year.
Pawar has further demanded special employment guarantee schemes in drought-affected talukas, including agricultural and water-conservation works, along with tanker arrangements to protect orchards.
He has sought an immediate survey of villages facing drinking-water shortages and deployment of government tankers wherever required. He has also called for fodder camps, drinking water for livestock and veterinary services in affected areas.
Addressing electricity-related difficulties, Pawar has sought a special drive by the Energy Department to ensure timely repairs of electrical transformers in areas facing increased load-shedding.
He has also proposed state-level and district-level control rooms to monitor rainfall, crop conditions, water shortages, fodder availability and livestock conditions on a daily basis.
Another demand concerns students in drought-affected areas. Pawar has sought a decision to waive the entire educational fees of students studying in schools, colleges and other educational institutions in drought-affected talukas, instead of limiting concessions to examination fees.
Pawar’s letter comes as the State government is also assessing the impact of deficient rainfall and crop losses. Chief Minister Fadnavis has said the government has already begun measures relating to natural calamities and drought, including assistance, water and fodder arrangements.
Pawar’s proposed field visit is expected to focus on direct interaction with farmers and assessment of the situation in drought-affected areas.