The Maharashtra government, led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, on Thursday, 1 October 2026, announced a sweeping drought relief package for the state's distressed farming community, staying all agricultural loan recoveries across drought-hit regions and unlocking ₹6,728 crore under the Employment Guarantee Scheme. The package covers over 305 talukas — nearly 75 per cent of the state — declared under 'Trigger-1' drought mitigation measures, amid a severe crisis driven by persistent rainfall deficits and heightened El Niño threats.

Loan Relief and Banking Directives

In a landmark move, the state government issued formal orders staying all agricultural loan recoveries across drought-declared regions with immediate effect. Banks have been directed to restructure existing crop loans, with a strict deadline of 30 April 2027 to complete the process, while ensuring fresh crop credit remains fully accessible for the upcoming Kharif season.

Revenue Minister and Drought Relief Sub-Committee Chairman Chandrashekhar Bawankule issued a stern directive to local administrations, instructing District Collectors and police authorities to prevent bank or credit society representatives from approaching farmers for loan recovery during the crisis period. This directive applies to all declared scarcity zones and signals an unusually firm administrative stance toward lenders.

Expanded Drought Coverage and the 43 New Talukas

Following significant pushback from ministers and ruling alliance MLAs over pockets excluded from earlier notifications, the cabinet added 43 new talukas to the official drought list. The total now stands at over 305 talukas, encompassing approximately 75 per cent of Maharashtra's administrative geography. The expansion underscores the scale of the agricultural crisis, which has disrupted both Kharif sowing patterns and drinking water availability across large swaths of the state.

Notably, the pressure to expand coverage came from within the ruling alliance itself — a signal that ground-level distress in rural constituencies is acute enough to override administrative caution. This is consistent with a broader pattern seen during past Maharashtra drought cycles, where initial coverage lists have routinely been revised upward after political feedback.

Employment and Livelihood Measures

To prevent distress migration and sustain rural livelihoods, the Employment Guarantee Scheme (EGS) department has unlocked ₹6,728 crore. The funds are earmarked for local employment generation across irrigation works, cattle sheds, orchard plantations, borewell recharge units, bamboo cultivation, and public lake repairs. Work norm criteria under the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission — formerly the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act — have also been relaxed to maximise deployment in affected areas.

12-Point Relief Package: What It Covers

For the designated 265 talukas, the state has rolled out a 12-point relief and concessions package. Key provisions include:

Full waiver of land revenue for affected farmers; restructuring of existing agricultural loans and an immediate stay on all recovery actions; exemption or concessions on electricity bills for agricultural pumps above 7.5 HP capacity (pumps up to 7.5 HP are already exempt); waiver of examination fees for Class 10 and Class 12 students in all drought-affected zones; and strict orders preventing disconnection of agricultural pump power supplies in declared scarcity villages.

Additional measures include targeted foodgrain distribution systems to prevent shortages for farmers and daily-wage agricultural workers, arrangements to ensure adequate fodder supply for cattle, immediate rollout of water conservation works, and deployment of water tankers wherever drinking water shortages are reported. Comprehensive planning for drinking and livestock water resources is also mandated under the package.

What Comes Next

With drinking water shortages intensifying and crop yields severely impacted across affected districts, the administration has placed water management and rural employment at the forefront of its emergency response. The loan restructuring deadline of 30 April 2027 and the ₹6,728 crore EGS outlay set the immediate operational timeline. Whether the scale of the response matches the depth of the crisis — and whether funds reach farmers before the Kharif window closes — will determine its real impact.