Maharashtra Farmers Set to Receive ₹5,000 Drought Relief Starting Monday
Over one crore farmers in Maharashtra are expected to receive drought relief payments as the government initiates disbursements from Monday.
More than 1 crore farmers eligible for ₹5,000 drought relief.
Disbursement to begin Monday, with 80% beneficiary verification completed.
Drought declared in 304 of 358 talukas, with various relief measures in place.
In a significant move to support farmers affected by drought, the Maharashtra government is set to commence disbursement of ₹5,000 relief payments starting Monday. Officials from the relief and rehabilitation department have indicated that over one crore farmers are likely to qualify for this assistance, with the process already underway.
The verification of beneficiaries is approximately 80% complete, allowing the government to begin transferring funds to eligible farmers without waiting for the entire list to be finalized. This approach aims to expedite the relief process, with disbursements expected to continue until the festival of Diwali. An official stated that farmers whose damage assessments, known as panchnamas, have been completed will receive the funds directly in their bank accounts.
The government is utilizing Aadhaar-based digital farmer IDs through the AgriStack initiative to verify identities and facilitate direct benefit transfers (DBT) to farmers' Aadhaar-linked bank accounts. The total expenditure for this relief initiative will be determined once the verification process is fully completed, ensuring that funds are allocated appropriately.
Maharashtra has declared drought conditions in 304 of its 358 talukas, recently adding 40 more regions to the list. Farmers in these areas are entitled to various drought relief measures, including crop loan restructuring, land revenue concessions, and exemptions from electricity bills and school fees for their children. Additionally, cooperative banks and credit societies have been instructed to refrain from aggressive loan recovery practices against farmers.
As groundwater levels in regions like Marathwada have plummeted, the government is preparing to deploy GPS-enabled water tankers early to assist in water distribution. Efforts are also being made to disconnect nearly 16,000 illegal water connections to conserve drinking water supplies. To support livestock, the government plans to procure fodder at minimum support prices to prevent shortages in affected areas.
