In Parched Maharashtra, Pg4

Key Highlights:

• Maharashtra is facing calls for drought declaration due to an El Niño-driven rain deficit, severely impacting its agriculture-dependent economy.
• The crisis has negatively affected the kharif season and clouded prospects for the upcoming rabi season.
• Opposition leaders, including Sharad Pawar, have urged for an official drought declaration, while Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stated the government is taking necessary steps.
• Official drought assessment for the kharif season can only begin after October 5, following the monsoon withdrawal, as per National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) rules.
• The state government has initiated surveys and panchanamas to assess crop losses and quantify financial impact.
• Maharashtra plans to submit a proposal to the Centre for financial assistance post-October 5.

Detailed Insights:

• The El Niño phenomenon has led to insufficient rainfall, causing widespread water scarcity across Maharashtra.
• The delayed and erratic monsoon has significantly impacted kharif crop sowing, which began in July instead of June, and subsequently stunted flowering and fruiting.
• Drought declaration under NDRF rules is based on multiple indicators, including crop loss, rainfall deficit, moisture adequacy index, and labor migration.
• Sowing must fall below 50% of the total cultivable kharif/rabi area, and rainfall deficit must be up to 70% for a severe drought declaration.
• The state government's assessment report, based on these parameters, must conform to NDRF norms for central relief funds to be unlocked.
• After the state submits its report, a central team will conduct its own assessment before releasing relief funds.
• The rabi season assessment for drought declaration can be conducted in March 2027.
• The government has already started implementing relief measures such as fee waivers for students, electricity bill waivers, and deploying water tankers.

Key Concepts Involved:

• El Niño: A climate pattern characterized by the abnormal warming of surface waters in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, often leading to significant atmospheric and climatic disruptions globally, including drought in parts of South Asia.
• Kharif Season: The monsoon cropping season in India, typically from June to October, where crops like paddy, maize, and cotton are sown with the onset of the southwest monsoon.
• Rabi Season: The winter cropping season in India, generally from October to April, where crops such as wheat, barley, and mustard are sown after the monsoon and harvested in spring.
• National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF): A fund managed by the Central Government under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, to meet expenses for emergency relief, response, and rehabilitation during severe disasters, supplementing State Disaster Response Funds.
• Panchanama: A legal document recording observations, findings, and evidence made by an officer at a scene, often in the presence of independent witnesses, crucial for supporting evidence in investigations.