Mumbai, Oct 5 (SocialNews.XYZ) In response to the worsening drought situation across Maharashtra, the Central Government on Monday constituted a high-level Central Inter-Ministerial Team (CIMT) to conduct an on-ground assessment of the affected regions.
The assessment is expected to facilitate the speedy release of financial relief and rehabilitation assistance to distressed farmers under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), Maharashtra Agriculture Minister Dattatray Bharane said.
The Central Inter-Ministerial Team will be headed by Muktanand Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
The 10-member team comprises senior representatives from key Union ministries and departments, including the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DA&FW), Ministry of Finance (Department of Expenditure), NITI Aayog, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Department of Food and Public Distribution, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Ministry of Rural Development, Mahalanobis National Crop Forecast Centre (MNCFC), and the Crop Division of the Union Ministry of Agriculture.
Working in close coordination with state and district administrations, the team will assess crop damage, water stress and the impact on livelihoods in accordance with the Manual for Drought Management, 2020.
Following field visits to the worst-affected districts, the team will submit a comprehensive report to the Union Government recommending appropriate relief measures under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), Bharane said.
Expressing confidence in the process, Minister Dattatray Bharane said the arrival of the Central inspection team would help expedite the release of drought-relief funds to affected farmers.
He added that, under the leadership of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar, the state government was making every effort to help farmers overcome the crisis.
The deployment of the Central team follows sustained coordination and follow-up efforts by Bharane with Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
Earlier, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis submitted an interim memorandum to the Centre seeking financial assistance under NDRF norms.
The matter was also raised during the recent national Rabi season review conference in New Delhi, where Bharane highlighted the severity of crop losses and water scarcity affecting farmers in Maharashtra and sought immediate Central intervention.
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan assured full support from the Centre to address the situation.
According to the State Government Resolution (GR) issued on September 26, 2026, a total of 265 talukas across Maharashtra have officially been declared drought-affected.
Approximately 80 per cent of the state's geographical area is currently facing severe agricultural distress and extensive crop damage caused by erratic monsoon conditions.
Source: IANS
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