Latur: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Saturday said the Maharashtra government must ensure that the benefits of the drought relief package reach every affected farmer following the declaration
of drought in 265 tehsils across the state.
Thackeray, who is on a tour of drought-hit areas of Marathwada, said his party had been demanding a drought declaration for some time and maintained that the decision should have been taken earlier.
“Whether it was delayed or when it should have been declared, we had been continuously demanding that drought be declared earlier. Karnataka had announced it before Maharashtra,” Thackeray told reporters during his visit.
His remarks came as the state government declared drought in 265 of Maharashtra's 358 tehsils, covering about 75% of the state's tehsils.
Thackeray, however, said the focus should now shift from the declaration to the implementation of relief measures.
“Now that it has been declared, the government should ensure that every farmer gets whatever assistance is provided under the complete drought relief package,” he said.
He also cautioned that the impact of the prevailing dry conditions would not remain confined to the agricultural sector.
“This drought or Super El Niño is not only going to affect agriculture but also urban areas. It will affect the entire Maharashtra and the country,” he said.
Thackeray called for coordinated action by the Centre and the states to address the wider impact of the situation.
“The state and Centre should work together and focus on what plans can be announced for the country,” he said.
Thackeray is undertaking a two-day tour of drought-affected areas, including Solapur, Dharashiv, Latur, Nanded, Hingoli, Parbhani, Jalna and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, to interact with farmers and assess crop losses.
He was speaking to reporters after inspecting damaged crops at Khanapur village in Tuljapur tehsil of Dharashiv district.
