Lok Sabha Question No. 4095 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-25
Subject: Drought Affected Districts of Maharashtra
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Bhausaheb Rajaram Wakchaure

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4095

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 25 TH  MARCH, 2025

## DROUGHT AFFECTED DISTRICTS OF MAHARASHTRA

## 4095.   SHRI BHAUSAHEB RAJARAM WAKCHAURE:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ͪष एवं ͩकसान कãयाण मंğी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Central Observer Team has visited the drought-affected districts of the State of Maharashtra during the last five years, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Ahmednagar district was also included therein, if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the details of the places visited by the Central Observer team Government in the drought affected areas at the said places;
- (d)  whether  the  Central  Government  has  received  the  report  of  the  Central Team;  if  so,  the details thereof; and
- (e)  the  amount  of  Central  funds  allocated  for  the  drought  affected  areas  of  the  State  of Maharashtra, particularly in Ahmednagar district?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ͪष एवं ͩकसान कãयाण राÏय मंğी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)

(a) to (e) : The State Government is primarily responsible for providing necessary relief measures in the wake of natural calamities. For undertaking relief measures, funds are available with the State Government in the form of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF). Additional financial assistance,  over  and  above  SDRF,  is  considered  from  the  National  Disaster  Response  Fund (NDRF) for natural calamities of severe nature and is approved on the basis of Memorandum received from the State Government, which includes an assessment based on the visit of an InterMinisterial Central Team (IMCT).  IMCT visits the State for assessment of the calamity situation and requirement of financial assistance from NDRF.  Taking  into account the report of the IMCT and  the  recommendations  of  the  Sub-Committee  of  National  Executive  Committee  (SC-NEC) thereon, High Level Committee approves the assistance from NDRF.

The  State  of  Maharashtra  had  declared  drought  during  Kharif,  2023  and  submitted  a memorandum  seeking  financial  assistance  of  Rs.  2690.32  crore  from  NDRF.    As  per  the Memorandum, the drought affected districts were Nashik, Dhule, Nandurbar, Jalgaon, Pune, Solapur, Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Jalna, Beed, Latur, Dharashiv & Buldhana. In response to the memorandum, an Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) was constituted, which visited the drought affected areas of the State during 12th to 15th December, 2023.    The  districts  visited  by  IMCT  were  Nashik,  Nandurbar,  Jalgaon,  Pune,  Solapur,

Dharashiv, Beed, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar and Jalna of Maharashtra.

The report submitted by the IMCT was placed before the SC-NEC and after considering the recommendations of SC NEC, the High Level Committee noted that the  first charge of relief of  expenditure  is  always  on  the  State  Disaster  Response  Fund.  Since  Government  of Maharashtra had sufficient funds of Rs. 2261.24 crore (as on 30.09.2023) in the SDRF account, no additional assistance was recommended from the NDRF.

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