Uddhav seeks special legislature session on drought

Thackeray also demanded that the state government declare the drought situation tehsil-wise across the state and hold cabinet meetings in western Maharashtra, Marathwada and Vidarbha to take region-specific decisions

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday demanded a special session of the state legislature in the coming week to discuss concrete measures to tackle the drought situation and give immediate relief to farmers. He also asked the government to provide a guarantee for farm loans on the lines of the guarantees extended for loans to sugar mills.

Uddhav Thackeray also demanded that the state government declare the drought situation tehsil-wise across the state and hold cabinet meetings in western Maharashtra, Marathwada and Vidarbha to take region-specific decisions. (PTI)

Thackeray also demanded that the government declare the drought situation tehsil-wise across the state and hold cabinet meetings in western Maharashtra, Marathwada and Vidarbha to take region-specific decisions. “The government must create a dashboard for the drought situation in Maharashtra,” he said. “The dashboard should have information about every district. It should include the number of affected talukas, affected villages, affected farmers, crop loss panchnamas, assistance sanctioned, assistance disbursed, villages facing water scarcity, number of water tankers, availability of fodder and all such figures.”

The Sena (UBT) chief questioned the implementation of the ₹31,000-crore relief package announced by the Mahayuti government last year and sought details of its actual disbursement. “The government should share how many farmers received how much compensation from that ₹31,000-crore package announced in October 2025 in the wake of the heavy rainfall that destroyed crops and topsoil,” he said. “It should also publish a list of farmers who benefited from the farm loan waiver announced in this year’s budget session.” Raising concerns over crop insurance, Thackeray said that farmers were not receiving adequate compensation, and sought corrective measures.

Meanwhile, amid the grim drought-like situation in over two-thirds of Maharashtra’s districts, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday visited various villages in Latur, Dharashiv and Solapur to take stock of the situation. While farmers described the situation as unprecedented, citing a scarcity of water and fodder and widespread crop failure, Fadnavis assured them of all possible government assistance.