Maharashtra tells banks not to visit farmers for loan recovery amid drought

New Delhi: Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule has directed banks and credit societies not to visit farmers' homes for crop loan recovery amid worsening drought conditions in the state.

Bawankule also asked Chief Secretary Rajesh Aggarwal to examine whether the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) could issue a circular suspending loan recovery proceedings, according to an official release.

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The directions were issued at a meeting of the drought relief cabinet sub-committee headed by Bawankule on Tuesday.

The panel also called for a 10 percent water cut in urban areas and directed officials to conserve water as a buffer until June next year.

Maharashtra has declared drought in 265 of its 358 talukas, or about 74 percent of the state, amid a rainfall deficit. The government has announced measures including crop loan restructuring, land revenue concessions and power bill subsidies.

Water is currently being supplied through 560 tankers, while officials have been asked to plan drinking water and fodder availability for the next 10 months.

Principal Secretary Vinita Ved Singhal said scarcity conditions had been reported in 265 talukas, while 43 had qualified under 'Trigger-2', a second-stage assessment of drought severity based on factors such as crop damage, groundwater levels and reservoir storage.

She said the required Government Resolution for affected areas should be issued without procedural delays.

Although sowing has been completed on 96 percent of the area, the condition of crops remains a concern, Singhal said, calling for a factual survey and a final report by October 25.

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Bawankule directed field-level officials to remain in their respective areas and closely monitor the situation. He also called for measures to manage water and fodder shortages, including regulating water use from dams and lakes.

Drinking water and livestock fodder will be given priority, with village ponds and percolation tanks reserved for drinking water.

Environment Minister Pankaja Munde suggested temporarily suspending permissions for residential and commercial construction in areas facing drinking water shortages, while Water Resources Minister Girish Mahajan called for action against water theft around lakes.

The government is also considering fodder depots as an alternative to traditional fodder camps and has directed officials to prevent fodder produced in Maharashtra from being transported outside the state.

Bawankule asked the chief secretary to form a committee of officials from three departments to study fodder-management measures adopted by other states and prepare a plan for Maharashtra.

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