Stories
Maharashtra Drought: Trigger-1 Notification Today, Relief Before Diwali
- •Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced the first drought notification, 'Trigger-1', will be issued today, September 25, to provide immediate relief to farmers.
- •The 'Trigger-1' aid is activated after a 21-day dry spell, with two-thirds of Maharashtra's districts estimated to be affected.
- •The government is shifting focus to the rabi season, exploring cultivation in water-available areas and assisting farmers with rabi crops.
- •A relief policy is in place, aiming to deliver assistance to affected farmers before Diwali, including loan waivers already credited to accounts.
- •Key concerns for the state government include ensuring drinking water, adequate fodder stock, and food security for affected farm families, with 479 tankers currently deployed for water supply.
Key Questions Answered
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced that the first drought notification under 'Trigger-1'—initiated due to a dry spell of 21 days—will be issued on Friday, September 25, 2026, to provide immediate aid to affected farmers.
The state government's key priorities are ensuring drinking water availability, food security for affected farm families, and adequate fodder stock for livestock. Currently, 479 tankers are supplying drinking water, with around 45% deployed in the Marathwada region, while areas like Beed and Jalna fear running out of fodder by December.
With the kharif crop badly impacted, the government is focusing on the rabi season by examining cultivation possibilities where water is available to help farmers before Diwali. Additionally, the government has implemented loan waivers credited directly to accounts, mandated banks to extend fresh loans, and plans to purchase farm produce at government-set rates.
