Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday, 24 September assured drought-hit farmers in Washim district that the state government would issue a Government Resolution (GR) formally declaring a severe drought within two days, and extend crop loan waiver benefits to all eligible farmers excluded from earlier schemes. The announcement came during his ground-level inspection tour of the Vidarbha and Marathwada regions, where worsening agrarian distress has left farmers scrambling for water and livestock fodder.

What Fadnavis Announced at Masal Village

Addressing a large gathering of farmers at Masal village in Washim district, Chief Minister Fadnavis offered direct reassurance. 'Do not worry; the government stands firmly behind you. We will be issuing the Government Resolution (GR) for the drought, and those farmers who missed out on the loan waiver scheme will also be covered,' he said.

Beyond the formal drought declaration, the state administration is deploying emergency measures covering three fronts: uninterrupted drinking water supply, distribution of cattle fodder, and expedited crop damage assessments (panchanamas). Fadnavis also pledged to clear pending bills for water supply schemes to ensure no village is left without drinking water.

Scale of the Crisis: Worse Than 1972

The Chief Minister described conditions in Latur district as critical, noting that current rainfall has fallen to 50 per cent of normal — a steeper shortfall than the 63 per cent recorded during previous drought years. In a striking acknowledgement, Fadnavis stated that the present situation is more severe than the historic 1972 drought, widely regarded as one of Maharashtra's worst agrarian crises.

He urged citizens to remain resilient and said: 'We will need to support one another over the next three to four months, and the state government is fully standing by you.'

Panchanamas and Financial Aid

On Wednesday, while visiting villages in the Marathwada region and Solapur district, Fadnavis clarified that crop damage surveys are being conducted strictly because they are legally mandated — not to create bureaucratic hurdles. 'The government has no intention of getting farmers entangled in administrative delays. The financial aid will be extended universally,' he assured, adding that both Kharif and Rabi season losses would be considered for compensation.

Relief Measures Underway

State machinery has been directed to prioritise rural relief across affected districts. Emergency fodder distribution for livestock is already under way, and officials are fast-tracking panchanama completion to unlock compensation flows. Fadnavis stated that funds would not be a constraint, signalling that the state exchequer is prepared to absorb the relief expenditure without delay.

Political and Agricultural Context

This is the Mahayuti government's most visible response yet to what is shaping up as a multi-district agrarian emergency. Vidarbha and Marathwada have historically been the epicentres of Maharashtra's farm distress, accounting for a disproportionate share of the state's farmer suicides. A formal drought GR unlocks additional Central government assistance under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) norms, making the two-day timeline for the declaration significant beyond optics. The loan waiver extension also addresses a recurring grievance — that earlier scheme cutoffs left a sizable cohort of indebted farmers without relief. How quickly the GR is issued and disbursements begin will determine whether the assurances translate into ground-level impact before the next few critical months of water and fodder stress set in.