BeauBasaldua8 at 16:15, 12 April 2026

2026-04-12T16:15:28Z

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{{Short description|Natural disaster in India}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}}
The '''2013 drought in Maharashtra''' in India came after the region received lower rainfall during the [[monsoon]] season June to September 2012. It is considered as the region's worst drought in 40 years. The worst-hit areas in [[Maharashtra]] were [[Solapur district|Solapur]], [[Parbhani district|Parbhani]], [[Ahmednagar district|Ahmednagar]], [[Latur district|Latur]], [[Pune district|Pune]], [[Satara district|Satara]], [[Beed district|Beed]] and [[Nashik district|Nashik]]. Residents of [[Latur district|Latur]], [[Osmanabad district|Osmanabad]], [[Nanded district|Nanded]], [[Aurangabad district, Bihar|Aurangabad]], [[Jalna district|Jalna]], [[Jalgaon district|Jalgaon]] and [[Dhule district|Dhule]] districts were also affected by this [[famine]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Maharashtra reels under worst drought March 2013|newspaper=live mint|date=16 January 2013}}</ref>

== Geographical and physical impact ==
[[File:IN-MH.svg|thumb|Map of India with Maharashtra State in red.]]
In January 2013, the Indian government reported that 7,896 villages in [[Maharashtra]] were affected by [[drought]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|last=Act Alliance|date=2013|title=Drought Relief & Rehabilitation – IND131|work=Act Alliance, Appeal, India - Maharashtra|url=https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/IND131_FullAppeal_India_Drought.pdf|access-date=2020-10-24}}</ref> In a region near the [[Bhima River]] in Maharashtra, the years leading up to the drought in 2013 recorded below average annual rainfall: in 2011, slightly below average, and in 2012, the lowest since 2003. In May 2013, the lowest [[groundwater]] levels were recorded since May 2005.<ref name=":4">{{Cite journal|last1=Udmale|first1=Parmeshwar|last2=Ichikawa|first2=Yutaka|last3=Nakamura|first3=Takashi|last4=Shaowei|first4=Ning|last5=Ishidaira|first5=Hiroshi|last6=Kazama|first6=Futaba|date=2016-07-01|title=Rural drinking water issues in India's drought-prone area: a case of Maharashtra state|journal=Environmental Research Letters|volume=11|issue=7|article-number=074013|doi=10.1088/1748-9326/11/7/074013|bibcode=2016ERL....11g4013U |issn=1748-9326|doi-access=free|hdl=2433/250499|hdl-access=free}}</ref> The low rainfall and groundwater appears to have been worsened by improper water resource management.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|date=2013-03-18|title=Maharashtra Drought 2013|url=https://www.ibtl.in/news/exclusive/2079/maharashtra-drought-2013|access-date=2020-10-24|website=India Behind The Lens (News Centre) IBTL|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Menon|first=Meena|date=2013-04-03|title=Maharashtra drought man-made: analysis|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/maharashtra-drought-manmade-analysis/article4577079.ece|access-date=2020-10-24|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

With approximately 80% of drinking water sources in Maharashtra dependent on ground water sources, the drought led to a situation of drinking [[water scarcity]] in Maharashtra.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|last1=D. Udmale|first1=Parmeshwar|last2=Ichikawa|first2=Yutaka|last3=S. Kiem|first3=Anthony|last4=N. Panda|first4=Sudhindra|date=2014-12-09|title=Drought Impacts and Adaptation Strategies for Agriculture and Rural Livelihood in the Maharashtra State of India|url=http://benthamopen.com/ABSTRACT/TOASJ-8-41|journal=The Open Agriculture Journal|language=en|volume=8|issue=1|pages=41–47|doi=10.2174/1874331501408010041|doi-access=free|hdl=1959.13/1297332|hdl-access=free}}</ref> The drought also negatively affected agriculture, decreasing production of [[staple food]]s, ranging from 5 to 21%, as compared to the previous year. This decreased production led to an increase in food prices across India and a decrease of India's [[Gross domestic product|GDP]] by 0.5% (US$9 billion) in 2012.<ref name=":1" />

Of 223 farming households surveyed, over 60% reported crop losses and over 20% reported loss of [[livestock]] because of the drought.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Udmale|first1=Parmeshwar|last2=Ichikawa|first2=Yutaka|last3=Manandhar|first3=Sujata|last4=Ishidaira|first4=Hiroshi|last5=Kiem|first5=Anthony S.|date=2014-09-21|title=Farmers׳ perception of drought impacts, local adaptation and administrative mitigation measures in Maharashtra State, India|journal=International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction|language=en|volume=10|pages=250–269|doi=10.1016/j.ijdrr.2014.09.011|bibcode=2014IJDRR..10..250U |doi-access=free|hdl=1959.13/1301463|hdl-access=free}}</ref> Multiple farmers moved to urban areas in search in work.<ref name=":2" /> Others effectively used reserves of food, water and money to survive.<ref name=":3">Vedeld, T. (NIBR), Salunke, S.G. (AFPRO), Aandahl, G. (NIBR) and Lanjekar, P. (2014). [https://www.academia.edu/12146631/Extreme_Risks_Vulnerabilities_and_Community_based_Adaptation_in_India_EVA_a_Pilot_Study_Final_report_on_WP3_2_Governing_Climate_Extremes_in_Maharashtra Governing extreme climate events in Maharashtra, India. Final report on WP3.2: Extreme Risks, Vulnerabilities and Community-based Adaptation in India (EVA): A Pilot Study, CIENS-TERI, TERI Press, New Delhi, India], p.15,32.</ref>

== Response ==

=== Government ===
The [[Government of India|Indian government]] allocated almost half of its disaster budget to relief efforts.<ref name=":03">{{Cite journal|last=Chatterjee|first=Patralekha|date=2013-03-26|title=Indian government allocates nearly half its disaster budget for drought relief in Maharashtra|url=https://www.bmj.com/content/346/bmj.f1902|journal=BMJ|language=en|volume=346|article-number=f1902 |doi=10.1136/bmj.f1902|issn=1756-1833|pmid=23533121|s2cid=35271219 |doi-access=free}}</ref> The Government's Empowered Group of Ministers provided [[Indian rupee|INR]] ₹12.07 billion for relief, including 2,136 water tankers supplying 1,663 villages.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Drought in Maharashtra - India|url=https://reliefweb.int/report/india/drought-maharashtra|access-date=2020-10-24|website=ReliefWeb|date=10 April 2013 |language=en}}</ref> However, due to increased numbers of starving livestock, a further INR ₹11.6 billion was allocated to the agricultural sector for scarcity mitigation, supplying water and [[fodder]].<ref name=":03" /> There was criticism of the government regarding water allocation, with disproportionate quantities being used to grow [[sugarcane]] in Maharashtra. The government was also criticized for its lack of [[regulation]] to prevent future droughts.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2016-05-27|title=Maharashtra needs to take a long-term view of drought|url=https://www.ids.ac.uk/opinions/maharashtra-needs-to-take-a-long-term-view-of-drought/|access-date=2020-10-26|website=Institute of Development Studies|language=en-GB}}</ref> Following the drought, the government committed to improving the maintenance of dams, rivers and other infrastructure.<ref name=":3" />

=== Non-Profit ===
[[Yuva Foundation|The Yuva Foundation]] (formerly: Maharashtra Drought Relief Project) was a youth-led initiative set up by Soham Sawalkar and Aditya Sureka to assist in the drought response. They distributed food, water and fodder, as well as providing materials such as PVC pipes to install water solutions for villages.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2013-09-17|title=The Maharashtra Drought Relief Project: When Empathy Translates To Action|url=https://www.thebetterindia.com/8214/the-maharashtra-drought-relief-project-when-empathy-translates-to-action/|access-date=2020-10-24|website=The Better India|language=en-US}}</ref>

In June 2013, [[Church Auxiliary for Social Action]] (CASA), the humanitarian and development arm of Indian Churches, announced their plans to assist in the relief efforts by aiming to raise US$264,504 from donors.<ref name=":0" /> This included the provision of livestock fodder, manure and seeds, agricultural and advocacy training programs, and raising water management and [[disaster risk reduction]] awareness.

== Consequences ==

=== Nutrition, sanitation, water ===
With a significant decrease in [[agricultural yield]] except for milk, oil seeds and cotton production, food security was a concern.<ref name=":1" /> A study of 223 households found that just over half of the respondents had access to water for [[sanitation]] while 83.8% of the 66.4% who had access to toilets, used them.<ref name=":5">{{Cite journal|last=Udmale, Parmeshwar D; Ichikawa, Yutaka: Manandhar, Sujata; Ishidaira, Hiroshi; Kiem, Anthony S; Shaowei, Ning; Panda, Sudhindra N.|date=2015-09-01|title=How did the 2012 drought affect rural livelihoods in vulnerable areas? Empirical evidence from India|journal=International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction|language=en|volume=13|pages=454–469|doi=10.1016/j.ijdrr.2015.08.002|bibcode=2015IJDRR..13..454U |issn=2212-4209|doi-access=free|hdl=1959.13/1330415|hdl-access=free}}</ref> While priority was given to providing water quantity over quality, water samples tested detected beyond permissible limits of [[nitrate-nitrogen]], [[ammonium-nitrogen]], and [[chloride]]s.<ref name=":4" />

=== Mental health ===
Due to the stress and burden of economic losses faced by farmers,<ref>{{Cite web|last=Chaitanya Mallapur|first=IndiaSpend com|title=In drought-hit Maharashtra, nine farmers commit suicide every day|url=http://scroll.in/article/806280/in-drought-hit-maharashtra-nine-farmers-commit-suicide-every-day|access-date=2020-10-31|website=Scroll.in|date=8 April 2016 |language=en-US}}</ref> specifically along the cotton belt, suicide rates increased between 2011 and 2015 (1,495-2,016 deaths).{{citation needed|date=October 2023}} However, in 2013 this trend reversed due to adequate rainfall in the second half of the year (1,298).{{citation needed|date=October 2023}} With the continuing drought-like conditions following 2012–2013, suicide among farmers continues to have a devastating effect. Maharashtra has become known as the `graveyard of farmers´.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Ghunnar, Pravin Panditrao; Hakhu, Antra Bhatt|date=2018-02-03|title=The Aftermath of Farmer Suicides in Survivor Families of Maharashtra |url=https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=AONE&sw=w&issn=00129976&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE%7CA526128416&sid=googleScholar&linkaccess=abs|journal=Economic & Political Weekly|language=en}}</ref>

=== Other: migration, education, desertification process ===
With water scarcity and loss of employment, seasonal and permanent migration increased, usually towards urban cities.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Nair, Sandhya|title=Drought brings flood of migrants to Mumbai - India|url=https://reliefweb.int/report/india/drought-brings-flood-migrants-mumbai|access-date=2020-10-31|website=ReliefWeb|date=24 March 2013 |language=en}}</ref> Five hundred thousand workers migrated from [[Marathwada]] to western Maharashtra.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=PURANDARE|first=PRADEEP|date=2013|title=Water Governance and Droughts in Marathwada|journal=Economic and Political Weekly|volume=48|issue=25|pages=18–21|jstor=23527966 |issn=0012-9976}}</ref> Water collection was usually done by women and children, which was exacerbated by the drought and migration of men, in turn decreasing children's attendance in school.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":5" /> The [[desertification]] process, including recurring droughts, is a long-term consequence that could severely impact future societies and human health.{{citation needed|date=October 2023}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Maharashtra Drought, 2013}}
[[Category:Droughts in Asia]]
[[Category:Natural disasters in India]]
[[Category:2010s in Maharashtra|2013 Drought]]
[[Category:Disasters in Maharashtra|2013 Drought]]
[[Category:2013 disasters in India|Drought in Maharashtra]]
[[Category:Agriculture in Maharashtra]]
[[Category:2013 natural disasters]]
[[Category:2013 droughts]]

2013 drought in Maharashtra - Revision history

BeauBasaldua8 at 16:15, 12 April 2026