With drought declared across more than 265 talukas in Maharashtra, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis carried the state's case to the highest level available — travelling to New Delhi on Wednesday, October 7 to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah and press for maximum relief under the National Disaster Response Fund.

What Fadnavis Placed Before the Home Minister

In a detailed briefing, CM Fadnavis walked Shah through the full scale of the drought — condition by condition, taluka by taluka — and handed over a formal memorandum on behalf of the Maharashtra government. He told Shah that state-level relief measures have already been announced for all affected areas, but that the sheer breadth of the crisis — more than 265 talukas — demands significant central support via NDRF (National Disaster Response Fund). Writing in Marathi, Fadnavis described the meeting: 'संपूर्ण परिस्थिती सांगत राज्य सरकारतर्फे करण्यात येत असलेल्या उपाययोजनांची माहिती त्यांना दिली' — ('I briefed him on the full situation and informed him of the relief measures being undertaken by the state government.').

Shah's Assurance and the October 8–11 Central Team Visit

Amit Shah assured the Chief Minister that the Centre would stand firmly behind Maharashtra and provide maximum possible assistance. More concretely, Shah informed Fadnavis that a central government survey team will arrive in Maharashtra between October 8 and October 11 — a ground-level assessment that is typically a prerequisite before NDRF funds are formally released. The four-day window signals urgency on the Centre's part.

Fadnavis publicly thanked the Home Minister for the commitment, calling it a sign that the Central government will stand firmly with Maharashtra — his words: 'केंद्र सरकार भक्कमपणे महाराष्ट्राच्या पाठीशी उभे राहील' ('The Central government will stand strongly behind Maharashtra').

Why 265-Plus Talukas Is a Number That Commands Attention

Maharashtra has 358 talukas in total. A drought declaration across more than 265 of them means roughly three-quarters of the state's administrative subdivisions are officially in distress — a scale that places extraordinary pressure on both state finances and agricultural output. Drought declarations in Maharashtra trigger a cascade of mandatory relief obligations: input subsidies for farmers, drinking-water supply arrangements, fodder camps, and revenue relief — all of which must be funded before NDRF reimbursements flow back from New Delhi.

The central survey team's findings over October 8–11 will determine the quantum of NDRF support the state can formally claim. Every day of that assessment carries direct consequences for millions of farmers across the Marathwada, Vidarbha, and northern Maharashtra regions most prone to rain-deficit years.