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Mahayuti to MVA, why Fadnavis government is under attack over drought
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In Short: The BJP-led Mahayuti government in Maharashtra is facing internal and external pressure over the list of 265 drought-hit talukas announced on Saturday.
The BJP-led Mahayuti government in Maharashtra is facing internal and external pressure over the list of 265 drought-hit talukas announced on Saturday. BJP MLA Sumit Wankhede wrote to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis seeking the inclusion of his constituency, Arvi, in the drought list.
Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar criticized the government for allegedly playing politics with drought declarations. He accused the government of discriminatory politics and questioned the relief measures announced.
A senior official from the Relief and Rehabilitation Department highlighted the economic impact of the drought, noting that farmers are distressed due to drinking-water shortages, lack of water for livestock, and rising farmer suicides.
Despite the notification, Fadnavis assured that areas excluded from the drought list would not be denied assistance. However, the inclusion of talukas known to receive relatively high rainfall, such as Mahabaleshwar, Radhanagari, and Shrivardhan, has raised questions about the transparency of the drought assessment process.
The list includes talukas linked to constituencies represented by key BJP leaders, including Fadnavis himself, raising further doubts about the political motivations behind the list.
Background
The fertiliser industry in India is facing a new crisis due to soaring sulphur prices, which have doubled since the start of the year to $1,050-1,100 per tonne. This increase is linked to the escalating conflicts in West Asia and the Russia-Ukraine war.
What's still developing
- “On one hand, the CM says this is a drought more severe than the 1972 famine, and on the other, they announce utterly hollow relief measures,” he said.
- Referring to Fadnavis’ assurance that “sarsakat (across the board)” compensation would be provided to farmers, he said the Opposition would pressure the government to implement the assurance.
- “Farmers are the backbone of the rural economy. The drought has left no money and spending power with them. This will affect the economy to a great extent,” a senior official from the Relief and Rehabilitation Department said.
- The list also includes talukas linked to constituencies represented by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis (Nagpur South-West), Sanjay Shirsat (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar), Nitesh Rane (Kankavli), Akash Fundkar (Khamgaon), Babasaheb Patil (Ahmadpur), Indranil Naik (Pusad) and Meghana Sakore-Bordikar (Jintur).
- The government has also faced questions from within the ruling camp.