The Maharashtra Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, announced the disbursement of Rs 128.65 crore to assist farmers impacted by unseasonal rains in the state. This aid is aimed at addressing losses suffered between October and December 2025. Damage assessments for recent spells of unseasonal weather in early 2026 are currently underway.
The unseasonal rainfall during the final quarter of 2025 led to significant agricultural distress in Maharashtra. The state government plans to provide aid to 1,80,574 farmers across 1,14,752 hectares of agricultural land affected by unseasonal rains in several districts, including Chandrapur, Dhule, Gadchiroli, Jalgaon, Nashik, Raigad, and Sindhudurg.
Continuing weather challenges have persisted in Maharashtra since the beginning of the new year. The state Cabinet reviewed preliminary data on unseasonal rains occurring between January and April 2026, revealing that over 1.45 lakh hectares were affected, impacting 2.33 lakh farmers. Major crops such as bananas, onions, papayas, mangoes, grapes, wheat, gram, and jowar have suffered damage.
Preliminary assessments by the state government indicate that due to unseasonal rains and hailstorms in April 2026, 1.94 lakh farmers have already incurred losses across 1.22 lakh hectares. The adverse weather conditions have resulted in five fatalities, nine injuries, and 36 livestock deaths. To expedite assistance, the state government has accelerated the panchnama process for these months.
During the session, the State Water Resources Department presented a progress report highlighting substantial infrastructure development since July 2022. Notably, 41 projects have been completed, increasing the state’s irrigation potential by 2.95 lakh hectares and creating a storage capacity of 105 TMC. The government statement mentioned that administrative approvals have been granted for 225 projects worth Rs 4.35 lakh crore since July 2022, with the aim of achieving a total irrigation capacity of 33.45 lakh hectares.
The state government reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the agricultural sector by providing immediate disaster relief and enhancing long-term irrigation infrastructure.
