← 15 October 2026's Current Affairs · Environment GA Prelims ★★★☆☆ Mains ★★☆☆☆
Maharashtra extends drought declaration to 305 talukas
ਖ਼ਬਰਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਕਿਉਂ?
305 talukas declared drought-hit: how a State actually notifies drought, and which relief fund pays for it
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced on 14 October 2026 that the State had expanded its drought declaration to 305 talukas. The widening declaration follows a weak southwest monsoon that has also hit Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
Why it matters: general awareness
What you need to know
2 ਮਿੰਟ
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced on 14 October 2026 that the State had expanded its drought declaration to 305 talukas.
The widening declaration follows a weak southwest monsoon that has also hit Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
ਸਰੋਤ: Topper IAS editorial (PIB / The Hindu / Indian Express)
ਮੁੱਖ ਤੱਥ
Remember these
- Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis announced on 14 October 2026 that the drought declaration now covers 305 talukas.
- The trigger is a weak southwest monsoon, which has also hit Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
- In Maharashtra the taluka is the unit for drought declaration.
- Drought is a notified disaster under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 framework, with relief funded through the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and, for severe cases, the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).
- The Centre's Manual for Drought Management (2016) guides declaration using rainfall, dry spells, crop and vegetation indicators.
ਪ੍ਰੀਲਿਮਜ਼ · ਮੇਨਜ਼
How the exam will ask it
ਪ੍ਰੀਲਿਮਜ਼
- Drought is among the disasters eligible for assistance from the State Disaster Response Fund and, in severe cases, the National Disaster Response Fund.
- The declaration of drought is made by the State government, using indicators laid down in the Centre's Manual for Drought Management.
- The southwest monsoon brings most of India's annual rainfall between June and September, and its weakness directly drives agricultural drought.
ਮੇਨਜ਼
GS-III (Disaster management) and GS-I (Geography): a weak monsoon leads to a State-notified drought, which unlocks SDRF/NDRF relief under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 and the Drought Manual. The implication is farm distress, water scarcity and fodder shortage across several States. The way forward lies in early warning, crop insurance, watershed management and micro-irrigation, and timely, transparent declaration.
Quick recall
Answer before you reveal
Consider the following statements about the Ebola vaccine Ervebo:
- It is approved for use against the Zaire strain of Ebola.
- It is already approved against the Bundibugyo strain.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
ਜਵਾਬ ਵੇਖੋ
ਜਵਾਬ: A — 1 only is correct. Only statement 1 is correct. Ervebo is approved against the Zaire strain; the planned trial in the DRC will test whether it offers cross-protection against Bundibugyo.
Convert this topic into marks
Today's 10-MCQ test · instant analysis · Powered by AdaptIQ