Maharashtra Government approves ₹291.91 crore relief for flood-hit farmers

The Maharashtra government on Monday, 1 November, 2026, announced significant measures to address the difficulties created in the agricultural sector due to drought and floods in the state. The government has approved financial assistance of ₹291.91 crore for farmers affected by heavy rains and floods during June and August 2026. Along with this, a high-level committee has been formed under the leadership of the Chief Minister to oversee land and water conservation projects in drought-prone areas.

Minister for Land and Water Conservation Sanjay Rathod stated that this committee will monitor conservation projects undertaken by non-governmental organisations, including Paani Foundation and Chandra Foundation, as part of the state's drought mitigation efforts. To encourage community participation in water conservation, the government has also decided to relaunch Paani Foundation's 'Water Cup' competition.

These steps have been taken in the wake of inadequate rainfall in parts of Maharashtra during 2026. The government had declared drought in talukas identified under the Kharif season's Trigger-1 assessment. According to the government resolution released on 2 November, all Deputy Chief Ministers will serve as co-chairpersons of this high-level committee. The committee will include ministers from departments such as Agriculture, Water Resources, Rural Development, and Employment Guarantee.

For implementation coordination, a separate working committee has been formed under the chairmanship of the Principal Secretary of the Water Resources Department, which will meet at least once a month. Geographical Information System (GIS), satellite imagery, mobile-based monitoring systems, and online dashboards will be used to monitor the progress of activities.

On the other hand, Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Makarand Jadhav Patil announced that the government has approved ₹262.70 crore for crop damage across six revenue departments. This assistance will be received by 3,09,289 farmers in areas including Pune, Nagpur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Amravati, Konkan, and Nashik. An additional ₹29.21 crore has been approved for damage caused to agricultural land, covering 7,675.40 hectares of land belonging to 34,984 farmers. This assistance will include eligible restoration works such as the removal of sand, silt, and salt accumulated on land due to floods.

The compensation amount for crop loss will be directly credited to the bank accounts of eligible farmers. As per the rules, small and marginal landowners will be provided assistance for damaged agricultural land up to a maximum of 2 hectares. Additionally, the government has instructed District Collectors to ensure that banks do not use the provided disaster relief payments for loan repayments or other recoveries.