On Saturday, September 26, 2026, the Maharashtra government issued a government resolution declaring drought conditions in 265 of the state’s 358 talukas, according to a report by the Agriculture Commissioner. The declaration covers large portions of Vidarbha, Marathwada, North Maharashtra and the Pune division, with Yavatmal, Jalgaon, Ahilyanagar, Nagpur, Amravati and Nanded among the most affected districts.
The resolution activates 12 immediate reliefs, including a land revenue waiver, crop loan restructuring, a stay on farm loan recovery, exemption from agricultural pump electricity bills, a school exam fee waiver, relaxation of MNREGA work requirements, provision of drinking water tankers, a ban on pump disconnections, and food grain and fodder security. To coordinate relief, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced a cabinet subcommittee headed by Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule.
Trigger 1 was applied, indicating a continuous dry spell of at least 21 days since June, as per the Drought Management Code 2016. District collectors are instructed to conduct panchnamas, photograph crop conditions, record GPS coordinates, and submit reports to the Agriculture Commissioner. Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Ajit Pawar assured that farmers would not be left in the lurch, while CM Fadnavis and DCM Shinde visited drought‑prone areas to oversee water conservation and drinking water planning.
Maharashtra recorded an 18.8% rainfall deficit overall, with a 40–50% deficit across six districts, following heavy downpours in Marathwada in 2025 that caused crop loss and topsoil erosion. Farmers’ leader Ajit Navale welcomed the government’s move but cautioned that compensation announced under the National Disaster Response Fund may be insufficient after losses in two Kharif seasons. Kisan Sabha has demanded an expansion of the loan waiver announced in June 2026.
