Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday, 23 September 2026, travelled to Latur in the Marathwada region to personally inspect crop damage and meet farmers reeling from an intensifying drought triggered by a complete absence of rainfall over the last six weeks. Speaking from the fields, Fadnavis assured that a shortage of funds would not be permitted to obstruct drought relief operations — one of the most direct commitments made by a Maharashtra chief minister in recent memory on the agrarian crisis front.

What the Chief Minister Announced

Addressing reporters on-site, CM Fadnavis confirmed that state aid will be disbursed to farmers immediately, without waiting for central clearance, after which financial assistance will be sought from the Centre under National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) norms. 'The government has taken this severe drought situation with utmost seriousness and initiated comprehensive mitigation measures,' he said. 'We stand firmly behind our farmers during this crisis. The ongoing farm loan waiver scheme will continue without disruption, and we are mobilising additional funds to ensure no shortage of relief resources,' he added.

A formal notification declaring drought conditions across the affected regions is scheduled to be issued by Saturday. The Chief Minister also confirmed that plans are already in execution to manage drinking water distribution and supply livestock fodder to vulnerable districts — two acute pressure points flagged by farmers across Marathwada.

Long-Term Water Fix: Kolhapur-Sangli Diversion and World Bank Talks

Beyond immediate relief, CM Fadnavis outlined a structural solution to Marathwada's chronic water deficit — diverting surplus water from Kolhapur and Sangli into the Ujani dam and routing it directly into the region. Discussions with the World Bank are reportedly underway, with a detailed project report (DPR) expected by December. Fadnavis also criticised the previous administration for allegedly stalling the Marathwada Water Grid project, describing long-term water infrastructure restoration as a key government priority.

Deputy CMs Join Ground-Level Review

The ground assessment extended beyond Latur. Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde visited farmers' fields in Akola and Buldhana districts on Wednesday to assess crop damage caused by the rainfall deficit. Separately, Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sunetra Pawar issued explicit directives to all party ministers, guardian ministers, Members of Parliament, Members of the Legislative Assembly, former MLAs, and key office-bearers to personally visit affected fields. She urged representatives to understand farmer grievances firsthand and follow up to ensure prompt administrative assistance, warning that farmers must not be left without support during this period of natural distress.

Scale of the Crisis

The drought has caused widespread crop failures across Marathwada, with prolonged dry spells hitting kharif yields hard. Farmers have been grappling with acute shortages of both drinking water and livestock fodder, intensifying demands for an official drought declaration and immediate financial relief. This comes amid a broader pattern of erratic monsoon distribution across Maharashtra in recent years, with Marathwada historically among the most drought-prone zones in the country. The formal drought notification expected by Saturday will unlock a broader set of state and central relief mechanisms for affected cultivators.

With the DPR for the Kolhapur-Sangli water diversion expected in December and the drought notification imminent, the coming weeks will test whether the state's response translates from announcement to ground-level delivery.