Pune: NCP (SP) chief and Rajya Sabha MP Sharad Pawar has urged chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to convene a three-day special session of Maharashtra legislature to discuss the drought situation and decide on additional relief measures for farmers and agricultural workers.In a letter to Fadnavis on Sunday, Pawar raised 17 demands. He said the drought declaration covering 265 talukas required more comprehensive measures to provide immediate relief to farmers, agricultural labourers, students and rural residents. “Govt must seriously consider their difficulties and implement these demands at the earliest. Financial assistance should be provided to farmers and agricultural labourers before Dasara and Diwali,” he wrote on X.The former Union agriculture minister sought the inclusion of additional talukas under the drought declaration and demanded a complete waiver of land revenue and electricity bills for agricultural pumps.“Considering the severity, an assistance of Rs 1 lakh per hectare should be provided to farmers, while farm workers should be given assistance of Rs 25,000. The amount must be transferred directly to their bank accounts at the earliest,” he said.Pawar also sought a complete waiver of certain agricultural and allied loans taken after the previous waiver, including loans from cooperative and nationalised banks, urban cooperative banks and credit societies. He said the waiver should also include personal loans availed through social justice, minority and tribal development departments, as well as those taken for orchards and availed by women’s self-help groups.He sought a full waiver of school, college, hostel and mess fees for students from drought-affected areas and relaxation of Employment Guarantee Scheme norms to provide work within a three-km radius of villages.Free monthly grain support of 25kg per farmer and farm workers’ families without any conditions, direct financial assistance for livestock, and immediate commencement of water conservation works were the other demands.quotePowers to sanction tankers for drinking water should rest with tehsildars, and need immediate action. Govt must supply water through tankers to farmers who have undertaken large-scale orchard cultivation. The entire drought relief fund should be immediately transferred to divisional commissioners and collectorsSharad Pawar I NCP (SP) chief
