Beed, Oct 2026 : Maharashtra Environment and Climate Change and Animal Husbandry Minister Pankaja Gopinath Munde on Sunday inspected drought-affected areas of Beed district and assured farmers that the government was firmly committed to providing relief amid the prevailing crisis.
The district’s all 11 talukas have been hit by drought-like conditions this year following inadequate rainfall. The prolonged absence of rain has severely damaged standing crops, leaving farmers facing significant losses just as their crops were nearing harvest.
Against this backdrop, Munde visited drought-affected areas in Beed and Patoda talukas and personally inspected crop damage by visiting farmers’ fields.
During the inspection tour, she visited agricultural areas in Vanjarwadi, Kakadhira, Murshadpur and Libandevi villages in Beed taluka. In Patoda taluka, she assessed the situation in Pitti Naigaon, Rohatwadi, Tamba Rajuri, Tale Pimpalgaon and Karanjwan, among other villages.
Munde also interacted directly with farmers and listened to their concerns, difficulties and losses. She assured them that the government would stand firmly behind them during the difficult period.
She said that, for the first time in the state’s history, the government had declared drought in the district by setting aside the traditional criteria followed by the Centre and the state government. She said the administrative machinery had been directed to complete the assessment of crop damage and prepare the necessary panchnamas accurately and within the stipulated time.
With the festive season approaching, Munde said the government was taking concrete steps to reduce the burden on farmers and provide them with relief so that they could celebrate Diwali with greater ease.
She also referred to the government’s proposed assistance measures, including a loan waiver amounting to Rs 32,000 crore, and said the government remained committed to extending all possible support to the farming community.
Munde said the government’s sensitive approach towards the emergency situation had provided considerable reassurance to farmers. She added that the administration was implementing relief measures on a war footing to ensure that assistance reached affected farmers at the earliest.
The minister’s visit to the drought-hit areas was aimed at taking stock of the situation on the ground, understanding the immediate challenges faced by farmers and ensuring that the concerns raised by them were conveyed to the concerned authorities.
She emphasised that timely assessment of crop losses and effective implementation of relief measures would be crucial in providing much-needed support to farmers affected by the deficient rainfall.
