Nagpur: Maharashtra govt on Wednesday added 40 new talukas to the state’s drought list — 13 of which are in Vidarbha — putting 82% of the region in the drought footprint. A staggering 9 of 11 districts in Vidarbha have all their talukas listed as drought-hit.In the list of 13 talukas added on Wednesday, seven are in Gondia district, as per a govt resolution (GR) issued by the relief and rehabilitation department.After Wednesday’s cabinet meeting in Mumbai, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “After reviewing both Trigger 1 and Trigger 2, we have declared drought in 305 talukas. Forty talukas have been added to this list.”Gondia, which earlier had only Tiroda, now has eight talukas on the list. The newly added ones are Amgaon, Deori, Salekasa, Gondia, Arjuni Morgaon, Sadak Arjuni and Goregaon. In Chandrapur, three talukas have been added — Jiwati, Brahmapuri and Ballarpur, taking its count from 12 to 15. Bhandara has gained Mohadi and Tumsar, going from three talukas to five. In Wardha, Karanja (Ghadge) has been added, making it eight talukas against seven earlier.With the 13 additions, Vidarbha now accounts for 108 of 305 drought talukas, against 95 of 265 declared earlier. Govt has directed all collectors to start ‘panchnamas’ in all listed talukas immediately and to send photographs of crop conditions with GPS coordinates through the agriculture commissioner. The 12 concessions apply to all, including land revenue relief, restructuring of crop loans, a stay on recovery of farm loans, a waiver of current farm-pump electricity bills, exam fee waiver for school and college students, and tankers for drinking water where needed.Compensation for crop loss will be announced through a separate GR after the due procedure is completed. Responding to opposition allegations that govt is delaying drought relief, Fadnavis said, “If you look at the records of 25 years, drought is declared at the end of November and drought aid is given in December. This time, considering the situation, we declared drought in advance and we issued the drought GR in October itself.”The state has decided to deposit Rs 5,000 in farmers’ accounts before Diwali, while remaining aid will follow later. Fadnavis said the Centre’s procedure could not be completed in time, as the timeline fixed by law would not allow it. He said, “We know Diwali is coming and it’s a difficult time for farmers. We have decided to credit Rs 5,000 as advance into farmer accounts before the festival, so that our farmers have at least some money in hand and can manage households.”Fadnavis said drinking water was being reserved. He said, “The number of tankers is certainly increasing. We have decided to give as many tankers as are needed, and we have instructed these tankers be tracked by GPS. About 16,000 illegal connections from which water was being drawn have been cut, and if anyone lifts water illegally, we will snap the connection. It is a harsh decision, but reserving drinking water is extremely necessary.”On loan recovery, he said district banks and societies had been told not to pressurise farmers. He said, “We will tell private microfinance firms not to take coercive steps.”He added the govt would also help with fodder. “If fodder is cultivated, the state govt will buy all of it at guaranteed price.”
