Shiv Sena announces aid for Maharashtra farmers facing drought

The Shiv Sena party in Maharashtra has announced several initiatives to support farmers facing financial distress due to drought-like conditions and crop losses. Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde stated that the party will provide financial assistance for the weddings of children from distressed agricultural families to prevent extreme measures such as suicide.

In a related move, the party has cancelled its annual ‘Rasrang Dandiya Utsav-2026’ in Dombivli. Funds originally earmarked for the festival will be diverted to assist farmers affected by erratic rainfall. Party leaders indicated that Navratri and Dandiya celebrations across the state will be kept low-key, with appeals for public contributions to be directed toward the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.

The Maharashtra government has already declared drought conditions across 265 tehsils. Existing state relief measures include waiving land revenue levies, staying loan recovery processes, restructuring crop loans, and providing energy tariff concessions. The party's direct financial aid aims to serve as an additional safety net for households struggling with the ongoing agrarian crisis.