States » WestPosted at: Oct 17 2026 9:42PM


Maha: Farmers send Fadnavis Rs 5,000 to protest against paltry drought aid

Mumbai, Oct 17 (UNI) A group of farmers from drought-hit Dharashiv district sent a Rs 5,000 by money order to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to protest against his state government’s relief package, attracting the attention of political circles today.
The development came after Fadnavis announced an initial relief amount of Rs 5,000 transferred directly to farmers’ bank accounts ahead of Diwali on Wednesday, after 305 talukas were declared as drought-affected.
While farmers have been promised Rs 5,000 as immediate assistance, the state is planning projects worth thousands of crores, including an integrated High Court complex in Bandra-Kurla Complex and the redevelopment of the Vidhan Bhavan in Nagpur.
Meanwhile, the government’s Ladki Bahin scheme is estimated to cost between Rs 2,500 crore and Rs 3,000 crore a month.
Speaking about the drought situation, Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena MLA from Dharashiv district, Kailash Patil said that the Rs 5000 assistance is insufficient even to cover Diwali expenses.
“This help should have been announced before the crop damage assessments as immediate relief. Cooking oil costs Rs 2,000 and cooking gas costs more than Rs 1,000. So, Rs 5,000 is not even enough to light even lamps during Diwali,” Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena MLA said.
A group of farmers from Surdi village had sent the money order on Thursday. Balaji Fawade, who cultivated soybean on five acres, said that the cost of harvesting his crop alone would exceed the Rs 5,000 assistance.
“I have to spend Rs 25,000 to harvest soybean on five acres, at Rs 5,000 per acre. We are sure that we cannot even recover the money spent on harvesting by selling the produce. My friend Chand Paigambar Sheikh sold soybean from his 1.5-acre plot for Rs 3,900, which is even less than the cost of harvesting. So we decided to send Rs 5,000 to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis as a protest,” he said.
Fawade added that his friend Chand Sheikh had spent Rs 25,000 overall on his 1.5-acre plot but earned only Rs 3,900 from the produce.
“I cultivated soybeans on 1.5 acres of my farm. I spent Rs 25,000 and harvested just 60 kg. I could earn only Rs 3,900. I borrowed Rs 1,100 from my friend to send the money order,” farmer Chand Shaikh told media persons at Surdi village post office.
Another man who identified himself as Chand Shaikh’s friend said he had lent Rs 1,100 to Sheikh.
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