Mumbai : Maharashtra is battling the aftermath of incessant rains that have wreaked havoc across the state, disrupting daily life, flooding rivers and streams, and devastating crops on over 20 lakh acres of farmland.
According to Agriculture Minister Dattatray Bharne, 19 districts have reported crop damage, with Nanded (2.85 lakh hectares) and Washim (1.64 lakh hectares) among the worst-hit. Key Kharif crops including soybean, cotton, maize, tur, urad, and moong have suffered extensive losses.
The heavy downpour has affected 187 talukas and 654 revenue circles, while water supply, electricity, and transport remain disrupted in several regions. Citizens continue to face shortages of essentials like groceries and medicines.
Minister Bharne assured farmers of timely relief, stating that panchanamas (loss assessments) are underway and compensation will be disbursed without delay. “The government will not abandon its farmers. Every affected farmer will get relief on priority,” he said.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Congress President Harshwardhan Sapkal has demanded that the state be declared under a “wet drought.” In a letter to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, he sought financial aid of ₹50,000 per hectare for distressed farmers. Sapkal highlighted widespread destruction of crops including cotton, soybean, maize, jowar, bajra, fruits, vegetables, and sugarcane, along with livestock losses and even fatalities in Nanded.
“The farmers are facing yet another crisis. The government must act swiftly, bypass bureaucratic delays, and provide immediate aid,” Sapkal urged.
