Maharashtra Declares Drought in 265 Talukas as Monsoon Fails and El Nino Deepens

The Maharashtra government has declared drought in 265 of the state's 358 talukas, based on conditions during the 2026 kharif season following a glaring monsoon deficit. The government order issued on September 26 identifies these drought-hit talukas across 32 districts, including Beed, Latur, Nanded, Amravati, Akola, Yavatmal, Nashik, Dhule, and Gadchiroli. Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar division has the highest number at 74, followed by Amravati at 56, Nashik at 49, Nagpur at 39, and Pune at 35.

Relief Measures And Damage Assessments

The state has announced a slew of relief measures, including water conservation works, drinking water planning, land revenue exemption, crop loan restructuring, and a moratorium on agriculture loan recovery. Farmers will also receive an exemption from current electricity bills for agricultural pumps, free fodder for livestock, and waivers for school and college student exam fees. District collectors must immediately begin spot damage assessments, known as panchnamas, and submit crop photographs with GPS coordinates. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stated that the state will study the impact of El Niño, which could peak by the end of February.

Demands And Local Impact

Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar sent a letter to the Chief Minister with 17 demands, asking for drought status in the remaining talukas, land revenue and agricultural loan waivers, free grain per family, and direct compensation of 100,000 rupees per hectare for farmers and 25,000 rupees for farm labourers. The water crisis severely affected the recent Ganesh festival, forcing towns like Kalamb in Dharashiv district to use artificial water tanks and dry riverbeds for idol immersions due to depleted local water bodies. India Meteorological Department data shows that 20 out of 36 districts recorded deficient rainfall, with Marathwada dams sitting at 46 percent capacity compared to 81 percent last year.

Context

Drought declarations in India trigger specific relief codes and financial assistance frameworks to help agrarian communities survive failed monsoon seasons. El Niño is a climate pattern characterized by warming ocean surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific, frequently disrupting normal rainfall patterns across South Asia.