India, Sept. 23 -- Following reports of water scarcity and crop damage from several parts of Maharashtra owing to a deficit in monsoon rainfall, the state government on Tuesday constituted a cabinet sub-committee headed by revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule to closely monitor the situation and decide on drought relief. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said a notification regarding the drought-like situation will be issued by Saturday and he would start touring drought-affected areas from Wednesday. He also ordered the administration to start the crop damage assessment survey and register panchnamas from tomorrow, instead of the scheduled start on October 5.

Fadnavis spoke about formation of the cabinet sub-committee after the week...