Mumbai, Sept. 26 -- In a decisive move to cushion the blow of a severe dry spell, the Maharashtra government has officially declared a drought in 265 out of the state's 358 talukas, asserting that the state treasury's first right belongs to the "Annadata" (food provider).
Addressing the media following extensive ground assessments, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde emphasized that the Mahayuti government stands firmly behind the state's agrarian community.
Having witnessed firsthand the parched fields and distressed farmers, Shinde-alongside Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and cabinet colleagues-fast-tracked the administrative rollout of the drought notification on a war footing.
To alleviate immediate distress, the government's newly...