Maharashtra declares drought in 265 talukas and announces emergency relief
Maharashtra has declared 265 of its 358 talukas drought-affected after a review of the 2026 kharif season. The government said the decision covers 74% of the state and activates measures including loan restructuring, water tankers, food and fodder support, electricity relief and crop-loss surveys.
The Maharashtra government has declared 265 of the state’s 358 talukas drought-affected after considering the Agriculture Commissioner’s report on the 2026 kharif season. The government resolution, issued on September 26, covers 74% of the state. The declaration follows Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s visit to drought-hit areas.
It affects large parts of Vidarbha, Marathwada, North Maharashtra and the Pune division. Yavatmal has 16 affected talukas, Jalgaon 15, and Ahilyanagar, Nagpur, Amravati and Nanded 14 each among the worst-hit areas. The resolution activates 12 immediate relief measures.
These include a waiver of land revenue, restructuring of crop loans, a halt to farm-loan recovery, exemption from agricultural-pump electricity bills, and a waiver of school examination fees. Other measures include relaxing rules for works under the rural employment programme, supplying drinking water by tanker, preventing disconnection of agricultural pumps, and providing food grain and fodder security. District Collectors have been instructed to begin surveys, known as panchnamas, for separate compensation claims.
The government said some districts, including Dharashiv and Beed, had received no rainfall since July, affecting crops, livestock and farmers’ and labourers’ daily water needs. State data showed that Maharashtra received 755.9 millimetres of rain between June and September 18, compared with an average of 932.3 millimetres, representing an 18.8% deficit. The Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar division recorded a 30.8% deficit, while Pune and Nashik recorded shortfalls of about 30%.
Amravati and Nagpur recorded deficits of 27%, and Konkan recorded a 6.3% deficit. At least six districts, including Amravati, Solapur and Latur, recorded deficits of 40% to 50%. Farmers growing soybean, cotton, millet, maize, tur, moong and urad have reported crop failures, while pests and diseases have increased.
Farmers held protests on September 16 seeking relief and compensation. Fadnavis has said crop-damage surveys and ground verification will follow.
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