Sharad Pawar’s siege on the government over the drought crisis…! Demand for 100% debt relief…; Bhaliraj’s questions to be raised in the Chief Minister’s meeting…

Mumbai, dated 2 (Anant Nalavde) – While agriculture and farmers have been thrown into crisis by the failure of monsoon in the state, Sharad Pawar, president of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar), reached the farmers’ bund directly on Friday and drew the government’s attention to the drought issue. During his inspection tour of Pune district’s Purandar, Baramati and Daund talukas, he examined the withered crops, the drying Panzar lake and the condition of villages suffering from water scarcity. He also, in this dire situation, demanded 100 percent loan waiver for farmers, immediate deployment of tankers for drinking water, inclusion of areas omitted from the drought list, and assurance that electricity supply would not be cut off, thereby challenging the government on the drought question. He further clarified that he will meet Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in person soon to prioritize these demands.

This time, Sharad Pawar visited various villages in Purandar taluka, including Parinche, Veer and Mandaki, and inspected Panzar lake, wells and the withered crops. While interacting with farmers, he emphasized to the media present that the situation in rural areas is grave. Because of the uncertainty of the monsoon, farmers are confronting a double crisis of crop loss and water scarcity. In such circumstances, his demands highlighted that farmers need concrete decisions rather than mere assurances.

Demand for loan waiver…; Attention to the government’s decision…

Sharad Pawar made a clear demand that a 100 percent loan waiver be announced to rescue farmers who have fallen into financial distress due to the drought. After the crops have been lost, farmers face questions such as how to repay loans, where to raise capital for the next season, and how to sustain their families. Against this backdrop, a full loan waiver has become a crucial demand. However, there remains a gap between the demand for loan waiver and the government’s actual decision. Consequently, farmers across the state are now watching what stance the state government will take on Pawar’s demand and what concrete action will be taken regarding loan waiver.

Highlighting the intertwined issues of tankers, electricity and the drought list, Pawar pointed out that in areas where the drought is intensifying, the problem of drinking water is becoming acute, and he demanded that government tankers be deployed immediately at the necessary locations. Moreover, because water scarcity is now affecting not only rural residents but also livestock, prioritizing water‑supply measures has become essential.

Conversely, he also raised the point that despite the seriousness of the situation, some talukas have not been included in the drought list. After reviewing the on‑ground reality, he demanded that those areas be added to the drought list, and he stressed that electricity supply to farmers in drought‑affected regions must not be interrupted under any circumstances.

What issues will be raised in the meeting with the chief minister…?

Stating that discussions with the government on the problems of drought‑hit farmers have begun, Pawar indicated that he will soon meet Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. In that meeting, issues such as a full loan waiver, deployment of tankers for drinking water, inclusion of talukas omitted from the drought list, and continuation of electricity supply will be given priority.

As a result of Pawar’s tour, the issues of the drought‑affected region have resurfaced. However, an important question remains: when will the demands raised during the inspection tour be translated into actual assistance? The nature of the relief that farmers receive will depend on what decision the government takes on loan waiver, how swiftly it acts on water scarcity, and whether it revisits the drought status of the neglected talukas.

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