Overview
- State leaders began mandatory panchnama crop-damage inspections on Wednesday, Sep 23, to create the records needed for formal relief claims and a government resolution promised by Saturday.
- Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde led multi-district field tours to Latur, Dharashiv and Solapur where officials say rainfall was about half of normal and wells and reservoirs are running low.
- Official reports placed overall June–Sept rainfall at roughly 80.8% of normal and warned possible kharif losses above 60% with soybean, moong and urad hit hardest in some areas.
- The state has formed a Cabinet sub-committee to speed decisions, set up district war-rooms, and committed to immediate state-funded payouts while preparing a formal drought GR and a request for central NDRF assistance.
- Immediate priorities are drinking water logistics, fodder supply, power and tanker management, and short-term water conservation work with longer-term plans for a Marathwada diversion and water-grid DPR expected by December.