Opposition slams Maharashtra govt over drought betrayal

Mumbai, Sep 26 (IANS) Opposition Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) on Saturday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Mahayuti government of betraying farmers, saying the announcement of drought in 265 talukas of Maharashtra is “dry as dust.”

Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar launched a scathing attack on the Mahayuti-led government, terming its recent Government Resolution (GR) declaring drought a “sheer betrayal” of the farming community.

He said the state government was rubbing salt into the wounds of distressed farmers grappling with massive crop failures due to deficit rainfall.

Wadettiwar demanded immediate financial compensation of Rs 1 lakh per hectare without capping landholding limits and called for Bramhapuri tehsil to be included in the drought-affected list.

Criticising Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and state ministers for making tall claims during their drought assessment tours, he pointed out the glaring disconnect between rhetoric and action.

He said the Chief Minister visited fields along the Samruddhi Expressway and publicly acknowledged severe crop damage, promising blanket relief. However, the GR merely repeated old, inadequate provisions and offered no concrete immediate assistance to farmers who had lost their entire yield.

Wadettiwar demanded that compensation of Rs 1 lakh per hectare be transferred directly into farmers’ bank accounts based on actual crop damage, scrapping the 2.5-hectare eligibility limit.

He noted that during election periods, relief had been extended up to 3 hectares, insisting that every damaged farm should receive aid regardless of size.

Expressing strong objection over the omission of Bramhapuri tehsil in Chandrapur district, he demanded its immediate inclusion in the drought-hit category due to severe rain shortfall.

Rejecting the government’s proposal for loan restructuring, Wadettiwar sought an unconditional waiver of all outstanding crop loans.

He argued that restructuring merely deferred the debt burden, pushing farmers deeper into distress later.

He also questioned the delay in conducting panchnamas (loss assessment surveys) until October 5, asking why relief was being stalled when ministers had all administrative resources at their disposal.

He criticised the Cooperation Minister for indicating that disbursing assistance would take time, accusing the administration of stalling tactics.

“This government suffers from a drought of empathy. Announcing a drought on paper while burying farmers under bureaucratic paperwork and delayed surveys is meaningless. The Mahayuti government must act immediately, waive crop loans, and ensure no affected farmer is left behind,” he said.

NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar said the drought relief measures announced by the government were themselves “dry as dust.”

He argued that although the first trigger was applied in 265 talukas, it should have been implemented at least three weeks earlier.

He noted that while the Chief Minister described the drought as more severe than the 1972 famine, the relief measures announced were hollow.

Pawar said waiving farm tax of Rs 200 and exam fees of Rs 500–1,000 was meaningless.

“If you are sensitive, Chief Minister sir, don’t waive exam fees, waive educational fees; don’t waive farm tax, waive crop loans; give farmers Rs 50,000 per hectare and farm labourers Rs 25,000 in aid,” he demanded.

He warned that if the government did not announce substantial immediate aid, a mass movement would be launched across the state alongside farmers and farm labourers.

Pawar alleged that the government was cheating farmers, recalling that last year promises of Rs 3.5 lakh per hectare for land losses and Rs 17,000 per hectare in crop insurance had evaporated “like a soap bubble.”

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray, visiting drought-hit villages in Marathwada, said major crops like soybean and pigeon pea had withered away.

“Seeing the crop dying due to lack of water, farmers are breaking down in sobs. In this difficult situation, we stand with the provider of food,” he said.

He added that declaring 75 pc drought on paper would not suffice, stressing that farmers needed actual help.

–IANS

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