Mumbai: With drought-like conditions emerging across parts of Maharashtra, the State Government has stepped up its response by setting up a specialised Cabinet Sub-Committee to review the situation every week and oversee the implementation of relief and mitigation measures in affected districts.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced the decision on Tuesday and said the government would take immediate measures according to the ground situation rather than wait for assistance from the Centre.
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The Chief Minister also directed municipal authorities to ensure that adequate drinking water is available to citizens, while arrangements are being made to tackle the developing water scarcity.
The Cabinet Sub-Committee, headed by Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and comprising senior ministers, will conduct weekly reviews of the drought-like situation and monitor the implementation of measures in affected areas.
Fadnavis, deputies to take policy calls
Major policy decisions concerning the drought situation will be taken by Chief Minister Fadnavis in consultation with Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar.
Fadnavis said the State would seek assistance from the Central Government wherever necessary, but would not postpone decisions or relief measures awaiting such assistance. The government, he said, would assess the situation continuously and respond accordingly.
The move comes amid growing concern over agricultural losses, water availability and the impact of deficient rainfall in several parts of the State. Recent discussions have also focused on demands for formal drought measures and assistance to affected farmers.
Bawankule backs meeting with PM Modi
Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said the Centre had consistently extended assistance to Maharashtra during periods of drought and agrarian distress. Reacting to the decision of Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi MPs to seek a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the drought situation, Bawankule said there was no objection to taking the State’s ground realities directly to the Prime Minister.
He said the actual situation should be conveyed to Modi and expressed confidence that the Centre would respond positively to the State’s requirements.
Munde highlights farmer support
Earlier, Cabinet Minister Pankaja Munde said the State administration was taking measures to support farmers facing crop losses and water shortages amid drought-like conditions.
Munde said the government was compiling reviews from affected areas and would stand behind farmers. She also referred to financial measures announced by the Fadnavis government, including a Rs 32,000-crore loan waiver and a waiver of farmers’ electricity bills.
“As a Guardian Minister and a Cabinet Minister, we are very concerned about the water situation and how farmers are going through this,” Munde said, adding that the government was assessing the situation and would extend support to farmers.
Weekly review to track ground situation
The formation of the Cabinet panel is intended to provide a regular mechanism for assessing water availability, agricultural losses and other consequences of drought-like conditions and for coordinating relief measures across districts.
The State Government is also expected to continue compiling field-level data before taking further decisions on the scale and nature of drought relief.
