Maharashtra govt to give drought-hit farmers Rs 5,000 each before Diwali

Maharashtra’s Cabinet has approved Rs 5,000 advance aid per drought-hit farmer before Diwali. See who gets it and what else the package includes

PGurus Newsdesk

October 14, 2026

Maharashtra farmers hit by drought will get Rs 5,000 each in their bank accounts before Diwali

Drought-hit areas now cover more than 85% of Maharashtra’s talukas

The Maharashtra government has announced a drought relief package that includes advance cash aid of Rs 5,000 per affected farmer, to be paid before Diwali. The decision was taken on Wednesday at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Cash straight into bank accounts

Fadnavis said the money will go directly into the bank accounts of affected farmers before the festival. The aid is meant to cushion those hit by heavy Kharif crop losses caused by a rainfall shortfall.

He explained why the state is not waiting for central assistance. Relief procedures laid down by the Centre involve steps and timelines that cannot be completed before Diwali, he said. The advance payment will make sure farmers have ready cash in hand during the festive season.

305 talukas now drought-hit

The government added 40 more talukas to its drought list, taking the total to 305 of the state’s 358 talukas, or more than 85 per cent. Because of the severity of the situation, the state brought forward its drought notification instead of waiting for the usual end-of-November timeline.

Support for livestock and water

To protect livestock, the government will buy fodder directly and encourage farmers to grow fodder crops. It also said that keeping water reserved for drinking remains the top priority.