Mumbai, Oct 2026 : The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) on Friday criticised the Maharashtra government led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis over its announcement of financial assistance of Rs 5,000 for farmers and Rs 2,000 for Anganwadi workers ahead of Diwali, describing the amounts as an insult to struggling sections of society.
In an editorial published in the party mouthpiece Saamana, the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction alleged that the assistance was inadequate amid rising inflation, widespread drought and mounting financial distress in rural Maharashtra. It accused the Mahayuti government of presenting modest financial relief as a generous festive gift while failing to address the underlying problems faced by farmers and grassroots workers.
The editorial claimed that more than 300 talukas in Maharashtra had been officially declared drought-affected, leaving rural households facing water shortages, crop losses and increasing debt. It alleged that the government was relying on meetings and announcements instead of providing meaningful and sustained relief to affected communities.
The party also questioned the government's description of the Rs 5,000 assistance to farmers as a special Diwali grant. According to the editorial, the amount was an advance against funds expected from the Central government rather than additional assistance provided independently by the state.
The Thackeray camp accused the government of attempting to claim credit by presenting the payment as a special festive benefit.
Questioning the adequacy of the announced amounts, the editorial asked how families could meet their essential expenses or celebrate Diwali meaningfully with such limited financial support during a period of high inflation.
“How to rub salt into the wounds of the poor should be learned only from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis,” the editorial remarked, arguing that the impact of drought on people and livestock required more substantial intervention.
It further criticised what it described as a disproportionate emphasis on publicity compared with the actual assistance being delivered.
“The helping hand is a span wide, but its publicity is a cubit wide,” the editorial said, alleging that the government was projecting the relief package far more prominently than its financial value warranted.
The party also questioned the government's expectations regarding the impact of the Rs 5,000 payment on farming households. It said that the announcement was being publicised so extensively that people might mistake the amount for a much larger sum.
The editorial added that the government appeared to believe the assistance would bring happiness to approximately 1.25 crore farmers and improve their Diwali celebrations. It argued that such expectations failed to reflect the severe difficulties confronting agricultural families in drought-hit areas.
The Uddhav Thackeray-led faction also drew a comparison between the assistance announced for drought-affected communities and government allocations for other activities.
It alleged that districts were being provided substantial sums, including Rs 50 lakh for events associated with the Sewa Sankalp Abhiyan, while farmers and Anganwadi workers were receiving comparatively small amounts.
The editorial described the disparity as evidence of misplaced priorities and said the announced package did not adequately address the hardships faced by rural communities.
The criticism adds to the political debate over drought management, agricultural distress and the adequacy of welfare assistance in Maharashtra ahead of Diwali.
While the government has presented the payments as festive relief for farmers and Anganwadi workers, the Shiv Sena (UBT) has argued that more comprehensive measures are needed to address crop losses, water scarcity, indebtedness and the rising cost of living. The claims and comparisons made in the editorial reflect the opposition party's position on the government's relief measures.
