Satara, Sep 18 (IANS) Visiting his native village Dare in Satara district for the Ganeshotsav festival, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Friday reviewed Maharashtra’s rainfall situation and reassured farmers facing severe crop damage due to dry spells.
He said the government will not abandon the farming community and will provide full support in drought-like regions.
His response follows senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Sharad Pawar’s demand that the state government declare a drought and distribute immediate relief aid.
DCM Shinde acknowledged that dry spells have scorched standing crops in parts of Vidarbha and Marathwada. Crop loss assessments (panchnamas) are currently underway to distribute aid based on actual losses.
He held a video conference with Osmanabad (Dharashiv) Guardian Minister Pratap Sarnaik, MP Omraje Nimbalkar, and the District Collector to review the crisis. District guardian ministers are actively touring affected areas, and he confirmed he will personally inspect drought-hit zones shortly to engage directly with farmers.
Dismissing opposition criticism, DCM Shinde stated the Mahayuti government prefers letting its work speak rather than engaging in political verbal duels.
Marking World Bamboo Day at his farm in Dare, where he has successfully experimented with cultivating imported crops like blueberries, along with camphor and asafoetida (hing), Shinde highlighted bamboo’s versatile uses in producing ethanol, modern infrastructure, and everyday commercial goods.
He urged large-scale bamboo cultivation alongside environmental conservation efforts during the festive season.
DCM Shinde also took a sharp jab at his political rivals over their constant criticism of his visits to his hometown, Delhi, or London.
“Whenever I visit my home village, political rivals suffer from stomach aches. I will now have to look for a medicinal plant or prescribe Jamalgota (a traditional laxative) to cure their indigestion. I am a man of action and will answer criticism through my work, not words,” he quipped.
Earlier, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, in a detailed letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, highlighted the state’s severe agrarian crisis due to erratic monsoon rains and demanded immediate intervention across nine key points. Pawar’s letter comes shortly after the Chief Minister expressed his resolve to make Marathwada drought-free on the occasion of Marathwada Liberation Day.
Pointing out the stark ground reality, Pawar, who uploaded the letter on Friday on X, emphasised that deficient rainfall has severely impacted crops across Marathwada and other parts of the state, leaving farmers in deep distress.
In his letter, Pawar raised urgent concerns regarding standing crops, drinking water shortages, and fodder scarcity for livestock.
“Due to the failure of rains across most parts of the state this year, the farming community is facing a massive crisis. Standing crops such as soybean, cotton, pearl millet (bajra), maize, pigeon pea (tur), green gram (moong), and black gram (udid) have withered, compounded by increased pest infestations. Consequently, the situation regarding agriculture, drinking water, and fodder supply is set to worsen,” Pawar noted.
–IANS
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