Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Wednesday directed officials to clear all outstanding payments related to water-scarcity mitigation works of the past two years by November 20, according to an official statement reported by PTI. The dues include payments owed to farmers whose private wells were requisitioned to supply water during shortages.

Source: Urban Acres (PTI)

Bawankule, who heads the state cabinet subcommittee on drought mitigation, issued the directive at a high-level meeting of the panel. He warned that farmers could refuse to allow their wells to be acquired again for emergency public supply if the arrears are not settled, Mirror Now reported, adding that farmers had threatened to block the acquisition of their private wells.

Source: Mirror Now

Private wells have been used over the past two years to support water availability during shortages across the state. The official statement did not specify the total amount pending or the number of farmers still awaiting payment.

The order comes with drought declared in 304 of Maharashtra's 358 talukas — nearly 85 per cent of the state. The government has separately announced initial assistance of Rs 5,000 for affected farmers ahead of Diwali, while the final compensation still depends on crop-damage assessment.

The subcommittee also directed officials to fast-track the remaining work of the Jal Jeevan Mission, about 75 per cent of which has been completed in the state, and to make at least Rs 500 crore available immediately for smaller schemes costing less than Rs 5 crore each. A three-month action plan is being prepared, and District Planning Committee works are to be integrated with the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act to avoid duplication.

Officials were also asked to draft a special standard operating procedure so that an estimated four to five lakh families who cultivate government, temple or other land without formal landholder records can receive benefits under state and central schemes. Farmers cultivating silt-deposited and fallow land have been permitted to grow crops such as jowar, maize and gram, and fodder is to be moved from surplus districts to districts facing shortages.

On employment support, a committee headed by the Chief Secretary is examining a proposal to raise wages under the state's job-guarantee scheme, with a government resolution expected within 10 days. Officials must also submit detailed reports by November 15 on 13 more talukas where a drought declaration may be required.

The meeting also took up complaints of alleged coercive recovery by microfinance companies, particularly in Nanded and Latur districts. The allegations are yet to be established; Bawankule warned the firms against forced recovery from farmers and women during drought-like conditions and directed them to restructure eligible loans under the applicable rules.

What happens next: district officials must report by November 15 on the possible addition of 13 talukas to the drought list, the job-guarantee wage resolution is due within 10 days, and November 20 is now the hard deadline for clearing the well and scarcity-work dues on which emergency water supply in the state's driest districts depends.