Opposition puts pressure on state govt as Gujarat farmers stare at rain crisis

AHMEDABAD: A prolonged dry spell has pushed parts of Gujarat towards drought-like conditions, with standing crops drying up and farmers growing increasingly anxious. As the opposition demands a deficit declaration, relief and compensation, the state government has acknowledged the seriousness of the situation and reviewed water and fodder preparedness in low-rainfall districts.

With the monsoon taking an extended break across several parts of the state, soil moisture has fallen sharply, and crops are showing signs of stress. The situation has triggered a fresh political confrontation, with the Congress party questioning what immediate relief is available to farmers as crops dry up in the fields.

State Congress President Amit Chavda said farmers were already under pressure from rising costs of seeds, fertilisers, pesticides and other inputs, and that the prolonged dry spell has added to their difficulties.

The party claimed 12 of Gujarat’s 34 districts have recorded no rain for nearly a month, with conditions worsening in several talukas. It has demanded that low-rainfall areas be identified and declared deficit-hit, with relief activated under the 'Chief Minister Kisan Sahay Yojana.'

The opposition has also sought crop loan and agricultural electricity bill waivers, grass depots and livestock support in affected areas. It has called for expanded work under MGNREGA (Viksit Bharat-G Ram G), an immediate crop-damage survey and prompt compensation to farmers.

The Kisan Congress President Pal Ambalia said existing government and central guidelines already provide for declaring a rainfall-deficit situation when the deficiency crosses the prescribed threshold. He said the party was seeking implementation of existing provisions rather than a new policy. The opposition has warned of an agitation if relief measures are not announced.

Banaskantha MP Geniben Thakor has separately written to the chief minister seeking that severely affected talukas be declared drought-hit. She has also demanded immediate fodder assistance, irrigation water and tanker-based drinking water supplies in areas facing shortages.

The unofficial estimates circulating amid the rainfall crisis suggest that production of major crops could fall by around 1.8 lakh to 2 lakh metric tonnes if the dry spells persist. At prevailing support-price levels, the potential economic impact has been estimated at roughly Rs 45,000 crore to Rs 55,000 crore. However, the eventual loss will depend on rainfall during the remainder of the monsoon and the extent of crop damage on the ground.

The south Gujarat region has received relatively better rainfall so far, potentially limiting the immediate impact there, while several other regions remain vulnerable if the dry spells continue.

The state government, meanwhile, says it is closely monitoring the situation. Rainfall and drought-like conditions in low-rainfall areas, including Kutch, Jamnagar and Devbhoomi Dwarka, were reviewed at a recent cabinet meeting, with a focus on preparedness for fodder and drinking-water shortages.

Collectors have reportedly been authorised to take necessary decisions on fodder arrangements, while officials have been instructed to maintain adequate stocks and ensure drinking-water shortages do not emerge in affected areas.

For Gujarat’s farmers, however, the immediate concern remains the same, which is how long the dry spell will last. Further rain could ease the pressure, but a prolonged break could deepen crop losses and turn an agricultural crisis into a wider rural economic problem.