Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal on Saturday demanded that the state government immediately declare a drought, provide Rs 50,000 per hectare to affected farmers and announce a blanket farm loan waiver amid prolonged dry spells and crop losses in several parts of the state.
Sapkal said some areas had gone without rain for nearly one-and-a-half months, leaving standing crops withered in the fields. He accused the BJP-led Mahayuti government of failing to take concrete steps despite discussing the situation in cabinet meetings.
“The government should declare a drought immediately and deposit Rs 50,000 per hectare into farmers’ bank accounts and announce a complete loan waiver,” Sapkal said, warning that Congress would oppose the movement of ministers across the state if immediate action was not taken.
He also urged the government to consider cloud seeding and provide financial assistance before Dasara, saying farmers could not afford to wait for relief.
Sapkal criticised the government’s spending priorities, alleging that Rs 350 crore was being spent on CCTV installations for the Kumbh Mela while assistance to farmers was being delayed. He also alleged that guardian ministers had not visited farmers affected by the dry spell.
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