IMD’s latest rainfall totals reveal that only 15% of Maharashtra met the 400‑mm monsoon benchmark, while the India Drought Monitor flags 40 districts in the extreme drought zone.
The shortfall has turned the Deccan plateau into a patchwork of cracked fields, with soybean and cotton yields projected to fall by 25% and 30% respectively, according to the Maharashtra Agricultural Office.
Babasaheb Patil’s warning comes as the state’s irrigation authorities have already begun mobilising emergency water releases from the Koyna and Bhima reservoirs, a move that will be expanded if the central government approves additional funds.
Comparative drought maps from 2022 to 2026 demonstrate that September 2026 covers the widest area, with 80% of the state in moderate or higher drought categories, making it the most severe to date.
In the Kolhapur district, 120 families rely on soybean cultivation; last month, a local farmer, Shivaji Reddy, reported a 30% drop in harvest and a looming debt crisis.
The Ministry of Water Resources is set to convene a tri‑ministerial committee on Tuesday to decide on a relief package worth ₹5,000 crore.