Maharashtra CM warns of El Niño impact, starts crop‑loss assessment in 265 talukas

The Maharashtra government has launched a comprehensive assessment of agricultural losses across 265 talukas, citing heightened concerns over the El Niño weather pattern.\n\nChief Minister Devendra Fadnavis highlighted that the current drought, already affecting large parts of the state, could intensify if El Niño strengthens, prompting the need for rapid data collection to guide relief measures.\n\nDistrict agricultural officers will conduct the survey, recording crop conditions, acreage affected and estimating financial impact; the findings are expected to shape state‑level compensation and water‑management policies.\n\nOfficials said the assessment will be completed in the coming weeks and will be coordinated with the central Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare to align relief packages.\n\nThe initiative comes as Maharashtra faces one of its worst monsoon deficits in recent years, and the government urges farmers to adopt drought‑resilient practices while awaiting aid.