Maharashtra, Karnataka drought: Centre to assess ground situation; Shivraj to visit states

Drought in Maharashtra and Karnataka: A central team will visit Karnataka on October 3, while a similar team will be sent to Maharashtra soon. Speaking at the two-day National Agriculture Conference-Rabi Campaign 2026 in New Delhi, Chouhan said he would also visit the two states with his team to review the situation.

Maharashtra has declared drought in 265 of its 358 tehsils, nearly three-fourths of the state, after receiving 18% less rainfall than normal during the monsoon. Between June 1 and September 26, the state received 798.2 mm of rainfall against the normal 970.9 mm. The declaration will trigger crop-loss surveys and measures including land-revenue waivers, restructuring of crop loans and a stay on recovery of agriculture-related loans.

Similarly, Karnataka has declared 177 taluks drought-affected and announced a Rs 1,250 crore one-time relief package for around 50 lakh farmers.


Chouhan said states facing water stress, including Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, need to align rabi crop planning with water availability and soil moisture.

He said “water budgeting” should be the key parameter for rabi planning, with states and districts assessing available irrigation water and soil moisture before deciding which crops to sow. In water-stressed areas, farmers should be encouraged to grow less water-intensive crops such as pulses and oilseeds, while water-intensive crops should be planned only where adequate irrigation is available.

Chouhan said rainfed and irrigated areas require separate strategies and warned that sowing crops without accounting for water availability could lead to crop losses later. He also stressed the need for timely sowing, saying delays could affect germination and ultimately reduce yields.

“Where water is limited, crops requiring less water should be prioritised,” Chouhan said, urging states to make arrangements for irrigation well ahead of the rabi season.

He said rainfall is currently below normal, although not low enough nationally to significantly affect water availability. However, water shortages in some states remain a concern, he added.

Chouhan called for data-driven planning and closer Centre-state coordination to manage the impact of climate variability, uncertain rainfall and water shortages on the rabi crop.

The conference, organised by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, brings together senior officials from the Centre and states, agricultural universities, ICAR institutes, Krishi Vigyan Kendras and other stakeholders to finalise the rabi strategy.