Water Management

Maharashtra’s drought crisis has become a major governance challenge, with CM Devendra Fadnavis seeking central assistance and a central team assessing the situation

The meeting highlights the growing importance of coordinated Centre-State action as Maharashtra deals with drought-related pressures on agriculture, water availability and livestock. The proposed ground assessment by a Central team could help determine the scale of assistance required in affected areas. For farmers, the immediate priorities are timely relief, adequate water availability, crop planning based on local conditions and fodder support. The effectiveness of the response will depend on how quickly assessments translate into assistance on the ground.

Punjab’s 2027 Assembly contest is taking shape around competing campaigns on governance, welfare, drugs, agriculture and regional politics. AAP has begun a door-to-door campaign highlighting its government’s record, while BJP is conducting an anti-drug yatra across the state. At the same time, Congress, SAD and Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De) are working to expand their organisational and political space ahead of the election.

Punjab's 2027 Assembly contest is already entering an active organisational phase, with AAP, BJP and Congress strengthening their respective ground networks. The emerging campaign is likely to focus heavily on governance, agriculture, employment, drug-related concerns, welfare and water management.

Telangana BJP leaders planned a visit to the Priyadarshini Jurala Project amid protests over irrigation water, with BJP state president N Ramchander Rao seeking water releases and coordination with Karnataka to address farmers’ concerns.

Opposition parties in Punjab have intensified their campaign against the Aam Aadmi Party government over the state's drug problem and recent incidents involving people who said they had raised concerns about drug availability. A 21-member joint action committee comprising representatives of the Congress, BJP, Shiromani Akali Dal and other organisations has announced an indefinite protest in Sangrur, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's home district. The development comes ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has launched the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) door-to-door campaign for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections under the “Mann Da Munafa” theme. After formally launching the party’s election campaign in Ludhiana on September 19, Mann began direct household outreach from Dhuri on September 20, presenting the AAP government’s four-and-a-half-year record and welfare initiatives to voters.

YSRCP chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy is scheduled to review drought, water scarcity and deficient rainfall conditions across Andhra Pradesh with senior party leaders on September 17

Telangana is facing a significant rainfall deficit, with farmers in several districts reporting crop stress and losses. The state Assembly is scheduled to discuss the effects of El Niño and possible remedial measures as concerns grow over water availability and agricultural output.

Gujarat’s reservoirs gained 603 million cubic metres of water following rainfall over 48 hours, providing some relief to the state’s water situation. However, overall storage remained below last year’s level, keeping water management and reservoir levels in focus.

The Samajwadi Party won five of the 11 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council seats, including key constituencies in Varanasi and Agra-Aligarh, while the BJP secured six. The results come as political parties prepare for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

Congress leader Abhijeet Wanjari retained the Nagpur Division Graduates’ constituency in the Maharashtra Legislative Council election, defeating BJP candidate Sudhakar Kohale by 3,271 votes. The result came from a closely contested count in Nagpur, the home region of senior BJP leaders Devendra Fadnavis and Nitin Gadkari.