On September 26, 2026, the Maharashtra government declared a drought in 265 of its 358 talukas, covering about 74% of the state. The announcement came amid a rainfall deficit and prompted the opposition Congress to question the state’s aggressive push to expand the data‑centre industry.
The government’s relief package, announced the same day, includes crop loan restructuring, land revenue concessions and power‑bill subsidies aimed at easing the burden on farmers and ordinary citizens.
Pawan Khera, head of the Congress media and publicity department, said the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had officially declared the drought while Maharashtra continued to attract more than $300 billion in investment interest for data centres and set a target of 5.7 GW of capacity by 2032.
Data centres require substantial water and power. The state plans to treat municipal sewage, further purify it through the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation and sell the reclaimed water to data centres and other industries. Khera questioned how water resources would be protected for farmers, especially given Maharashtra’s high farmer‑suicide rate.
A government resolution issued on September 25 identified the 265 talukas across 32 districts, with Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar division having the most affected areas. A separate order on September 26 will issue financial assistance for crop losses, and CM Fadnavis has directed district collectors to assess crop damage and affirmed that farmers remain the focus of relief efforts.
