Govt Committed To Supporting Farmers Amid Drought: Pankaja Munde

Beed: With monsoon failure triggering severe drought across all 11 tehsils of Beed district, Environment, Climate Change and Animal Husbandry Minister Pankaja Munde conducted an on-ground inspection of drought-affected areas in Beed and Patoda tehsils on Sunday to assess extensive crop damage directly from farmers’ fields.

Deficient rainfall has scorched standing crops across the district, devastating local farming communities just ahead of the harvest. During her inspection tour, Munde visited farm bunds across multiple villages, including Vanjarwadi, Kakadhira, Murshadpur and Limbadevi in Beed tehsil, as well as Pithi Naigaon, Rohatwadi, Tamba Rajuri, Tale Pimpalgaon and Karanjwan in Patoda tehsil.

Interacting directly with distressed cultivators to understand their grievances, the minister assured them that the state government stands firmly by their side in this hour of crisis.

Highlighting the administration’s intervention, Munde noted that, for the first time, conventional central and state norms were set aside to officially declare drought in the district. She directed the district administration to expedite crop-loss assessments and complete damage inspection reports (panchnamas) with precision and urgency.

Noting the approaching festive season, Munde emphasised that concrete measures are underway to ease farmers’ distress and ensure relief ahead of Diwali. Reaffirming the government’s policy commitments, she asserted that whether through the ₹32,000-crore loan waiver or additional financial relief, the administration remains resolutely committed to protecting the farming community, with relief operations now underway on a war footing.