**Lead Para:** Sharad Pawar, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief and former Maharashtra chief minister, has begun a tour to drought-hit areas in the state. The tour aims to assess the situation and provide relief to the affected regions.
- **Key Highlights:** Sharad Pawar’s tour will focus on providing relief to drought-hit areas in Maharashtra, prioritizing water, fodder, and jobs.
- **Metric:** The tour will cover several districts in the state, including Latur, Beed, and Osmanabad, which are worst affected by the drought.
- **Action:** The Maharashtra government has been asked to provide immediate relief to the affected areas, including providing water and fodder to farmers.
- **Local Impact:** The drought has had a severe impact on the local economy, with many farmers struggling to cope with the situation.
Context Subheading
Sharad Pawar’s tour comes at a time when the state is facing one of its worst droughts in recent years. The drought has affected several districts in the state, with many farmers struggling to cope with the situation.
According to official sources, the drought has affected over 10,000 farmers in the state, with many of them struggling to get water and fodder for their livestock. The situation is particularly dire in the Latur district, where over 5,000 farmers have been affected by the drought.
**”The drought situation in Maharashtra is extremely critical, and we need to take immediate action to provide relief to the affected areas,”** said Sharad Pawar in a statement.
Response Subheading
The Maharashtra government has been asked to provide immediate relief to the affected areas, including providing water and fodder to farmers. The government has also been asked to provide financial assistance to farmers who have been affected by the drought.
**”We will provide all necessary assistance to the farmers who have been affected by the drought,”** said a government spokesperson. **”We will also ensure that the necessary measures are taken to prevent such a situation in the future.”**
Forward Context:
The drought relief tour is expected to continue for several days, with Sharad Pawar meeting with farmers and government officials to discuss the situation. The tour is expected to provide much-needed relief to the affected areas and help the state recover from the drought.