Mumbai: The drought now covers 84.9% of the state, with the govt adding 39 talukas (sub-districts) on Wednesday to the list of those affected. With 304 of 358 talukas impacted, this means 25 of 36 districts in the state are totally covered by the drought. Only three districts (Mumbai city, Mumbai Suburban and Thane) are not impacted. This is among the most widespread droughts in the state.As an interim measure prior to Diwali, the state cabinet has decided to provide Rs 5,000 to affected farmers. Officials estimate that around 1 crore farmers could be impacted. However, farmer groups dismissed the payout. They claimed the state had skipped two installments of the Namo Shetkari Mahasanman Nidhi and delayed the Oct payment of the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin scheme installment. These amount to more than the interim relief offered, the Kisan Sabha said.“After we declared drought in 265 talukas, we received complaints from several other areas. The additional talukas fulfil conditions in Trigger 1 and 2 of the Drought Manual and will be eligible for immediate relief, including examination fee waivers,” CM Devendra Fadnavis said.While Trigger 1 conditions include rainfall deficit and gaps in the rain, Trigger 2 includes decline in groundwater, soil moisture and the loss of crops and vegetation.The 39 new talukas added include some held by Mahayuti politicians including BJP’s Sudhir Mungantiwar (Ballarpur), Shiv Sena cabinet minister Shambhuraj Desai (Patan) and relief minister Makarand Patil from the NCP (Wai). However, officials said since most of the state was impacted by the drought, there was no discrimination in the list on political grounds.Fadnavis said the state decided to give the interim payout since the technical formalities to provide relief would take time. “For the last 25 years, drought has been declared at the end of November and relief is given in December. Seeing the situation, we decided some relief was needed before Diwali,” he said. The roll-out of the loan waiver was continuing, he said.He also said banks and micro-finance companies had been told not to coerce farmers to re-pay loans. And that the state was encouraging farmers to grow crops for fodder which the state would buy at guaranteed rates. “In some areas, the fodder will last for only 90 days,” he said. In order to conserve drinking water, the state had cut 16,000 illegal connections, he added.The Kisan Sabha alleged the state was fooling the public by skipping payouts on other schemes. “Two instalments of the Namo Shetkari Mahasanman Nidhi have not been given, amounting to almost Rs 4,000 per beneficiary. The Ladki Bahin stipend of Rs 1,500 is delayed for 81 lakh women. This would amount to Rs 1,215 crore for the month,” said Ajit Navale of Kisan Sabha. “They should first pay these installments and then provide interim relief,” he said. The Kisan Sabha is planning a vehicle march from Ahilyanagar to the CM’s residence beginning Oct 26.Revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said around Rs 3,000 crore were outstanding in water supply schemes in the state and govt should undertake a one-time settlement to waive off fines and interest so the schemes can be completed soon. He also said panchanamas on 75% of the crops affected were completed.
