Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday, 18 September 2026, said the state government has already initiated several key drought mitigation and farmer relief measures, and is open to further constructive suggestions from Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) chief Sharad Pawar — without, he stressed, giving the issue a political colour. Fadnavis was responding to a formal letter from Pawar urging immediate state intervention in what the veteran leader described as a deepening drought-like crisis across Maharashtra.

Relief Measures Already in Motion

Fadnavis confirmed that the state's farm loan waiver programme is actively underway. Three beneficiary lists have already been published, with additional lists in preparation to ensure all eligible farmers are covered. Crop damage assessments — known as panchnamas — are set to begin on 5 October in accordance with National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) protocols, with findings to be submitted to the Centre to secure federal financial assistance.

The state is also making provisions for fodder camps and drinking water supply in severely affected regions. Fadnavis said the government is treating the drought situation with 'utmost seriousness', a phrasing officials used to underscore that administrative action predates Pawar's letter.

Deputy CM Shinde Reviews Rainfall Situation

Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde separately reviewed the state's rainfall data and reassured farmers reeling from dry spells. He acknowledged that prolonged rainfall deficits have scorched standing crops in parts of Vidarbha and Marathwada — two of Maharashtra's most agriculturally vulnerable regions — and pledged that the government would not abandon the farming community. Crop loss assessments are currently underway to link aid disbursement to verified, on-ground losses.

What Sharad Pawar Demanded

In his letter, Pawar painted a grim picture of conditions across the state. He noted that crops including soybean, cotton, pearl millet (bajra), maize, pigeon pea (tur), green gram (moong), and black gram (udid) have withered due to the failure of rains, compounded by a spike in pest infestations. He warned that the situation regarding agriculture, drinking water, and fodder supply is 'set to worsen'.

Pawar's demands included: bypassing standard procedural norms to declare drought immediately; identifying the worst-hit talukas and implementing relief without delay; providing financial aid of at least ₹50,000 per hectare to affected farmers; a special assistance package of ₹25,000 for landless farm-labour households; and an immediate farm loan waiver to enable fresh crop credit.

Political Backdrop and What It Means for Farmers

This comes amid a well-worn pattern in Maharashtra politics: opposition leaders — particularly Pawar, a dominant figure in agrarian politics — writing to the ruling dispensation to accelerate drought declarations, while the government insists processes are in order. The distinction matters for farmers: a formal drought declaration unlocks a wider basket of central and state relief, whereas administrative measures short of that threshold leave gaps in coverage.

Notably, Vidarbha and Marathwada have faced recurring agrarian distress for over a decade, with rainfall variability, input cost pressures, and price volatility combining to push farm households into chronic debt. The current episode, if assessments confirm the scale Pawar describes, could qualify several talukas for the highest tier of relief under NDRF norms. A formal declaration — or the government's decision not to make one — is expected to emerge once the 5 October panchnama data is compiled and reviewed.