Torrential rains and devastating floods have wreaked havoc across Maharashtra, damaging an estimated 60 lakh hectares of agricultural land, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced on Tuesday. Following a cabinet meeting, Fadnavis revealed that the state is mobilizing a comprehensive relief package to support farmers reeling from the catastrophic losses, with an announcement expected next week.

The deluge, which battered regions like Marathwada, Solapur, Satara, and Sangli last week, has destroyed crops across vast swathes of farmland, threatening the livelihoods of countless farmers. Preliminary assessments indicate the scale of destruction is staggering, with the kharif season obliterated and the upcoming Rabi season now at risk due to eroded farmlands. Fadnavis assured that a detailed damage assessment will be finalized within two to three days, paving the way for a memorandum to be submitted to the Central government for a relief package.

“We are committed to supporting our farmers,” Fadnavis told reporters. “The state will extend all facilities typically provided in drought-like situations, and compensation will reach farmers’ bank accounts before Diwali.” He noted that Rs 2,215 crore in aid for crop losses up to August has already begun distribution. However, he dismissed the Opposition’s demand to declare a “wet drought,” clarifying that no such provision exists in the official manual. Instead, the government will ensure all drought-related benefits are extended to those affected by the floods.

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The crisis has also sparked controversy over banks issuing loan recovery notices to farmers struggling to survive. Fadnavis addressed the issue, stating that the notices pertain to old recoveries and assured that banks would be directed to halt coercive actions. “We will not allow farmers to be burdened further during this crisis,” he emphasized.

Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar sharply criticized the government’s response, accusing it of inaction while farmers face unprecedented losses. He highlighted that 24 districts and 137 talukas, including Ahilyanagar, Beed, Jalna, Solapur, Dharashiv, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, and Yavatmal, have been severely impacted, with 52 lakh hectares of kharif crops destroyed. “How can banks issue recovery notices when farmers are devastated?” Wadettiwar questioned. “Is the government sleeping? Why hasn’t it stopped these coercive measures?”

Wadettiwar also accused the state of delaying a relief proposal to the Central government and noted that no Central team has yet visited the affected areas. He urged the state to announce substantial relief measures before Diwali to help rehabilitate farmers whose livelihoods have been shattered by the natural calamity.

As Maharashtra grapples with the aftermath of the floods, the government faces mounting pressure to deliver swift and effective aid. The promised relief package and the halt on loan recoveries will be critical steps in supporting farmers through this crisis, while the scale of the destruction underscores the urgent need for long-term strategies to address the growing impact of extreme weather events on agriculture.

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