Flooded Pakani locality as swollen Sina river floods nearby areas, in Solapur, Maharashtra, September 30, 2025.
Even as the Maharashtra government announced a ₹31,628-crore relief package for flood-affected farmers on Tuesday, several farmers’ organisations expressed dissatisfaction, calling the aid inadequate and demanding a comprehensive loan waiver.
According to the government’s announcement, farmers whose fields have suffered complete soil erosion will receive compensation of ₹3.5 lakh per hectare. Those holding non-irrigated land will get ₹8,500 per hectare, while irrigated landholders are entitled to ₹22,500 per hectare.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis described the package as one of the largest ever offered by the state for farmers, assuring that “the government will stand firmly with the farming community and extend all possible support.”
However, opposition parties have demanded that the government increase the compensation to ₹50,000 per hectare and officially declare a “wet drought” across affected regions. The government has rejected the idea, stating that such a concept “does not exist” in official terminology.
Farmer leader and former MP Raju Shetti criticised the package, saying, “Only a complete loan waiver can give real relief to farmers. This aid will not be enough to help them recover their massive losses.” The Shetkari Sanghatana also said that the announced assistance is insufficient to help farmers resume cultivation for the rabi season.
This year’s floods and excessive rainfall have devastated kharif crops across nearly 70 lakh hectares in Maharashtra. Farmers have not only lost standing crops but also their homes, livestock and fertile topsoil washed away by the deluge.
The Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Sabha alleged that the relief package is misleading and “merely an amalgamation of existing government schemes presented as new assistance.”
More Like This
Published on October 8, 2025
