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Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Third Mumbai farmers foil land takeover bid, govt withdraws controversial notices
NAVI MUMBAI: In a major victory for farmers in Uran, the Maharashtra government has withdrawn controversial notices that threatened to take over agricultural land left fallow for two consecutive years. The decision came after a massive protest march on Thursday to the Uran tehsil office, where villagers alleged a backdoor attempt to forcibly acquire their land under the guise of a central government scheme. Navi Mumbai, India - July 3, 2025:Sudhakar Patil explaining the provisions of Govt resolution to Tahsildar Third Mumbai villagers protest succeeds in getting `acquisition of uncultivated landÕ notices withdrawn in Navi Mumbai, India, on Thursday, July 3, 2025. (Photo by Bachchan Kumar/ HT PHOTO) (HT PHOTO) The farmers, under the banner of the MMRDA KSC Navnagar Virodhi Shetkari Samiti Raigad, accused the state of misusing the Agri Stack initiative—a digital land record and agriculture database scheme—to dispossess them of their ancestral land for the ambitious Karnala-Sai-Chirner New Town project, also dubbed 'Third Mumbai'. Over 124 villages across Uran, Panvel and Pen talukas are opposing the proposed township, which they claim is being designed to benefit powerful builders and developers at the cost of local communities. 'The notices were a ploy to declare our lands abandoned and hand them over for urban development,' said Sudhakar Patil, president of the committee. According to Patil, farmers began receiving show-cause notices from June 26, demanding an explanation for leaving land uncultivated for two years. The notices warned that failure to respond within four days would be interpreted as consent, and the government would proceed to take over the plots. 'This is nothing short of land grabbing,' Patil said. 'The government made no attempt to understand why the land wasn't cultivated—whether it was because of sea water ingress, mangrove growth, flooding, or declining fertility due to industrial pollution. Instead of helping us revive our soil, they want to hand it over to capitalists.' After the farmers marched to the Uran tehsildar's office, the local administration was forced to backtrack. In a written communication to the farmers, Uran Tehsildar Uddhav Kadam confirmed that the notices had been withdrawn. 'The intent was to encourage participation in the Agri Stack scheme, which is meant to benefit farmers. However, there was a misunderstanding that it was a land acquisition move. Hence, we have cancelled the notices,' Kadam said. The victory has boosted the morale of villagers who say they are already reeling under the impact of large-scale infrastructure projects such as CIDCO's NAINA scheme and the Navi Mumbai airport. 'We've lost homes, farms, and entire villages. Our houses have been declared illegal and demolished. Now they want to snatch away what little land we have left,' said Rupesh Patil, general secretary of the farmers' committee. The farmers have vowed to continue their resistance against the New Town project, which they say threatens to erase rural communities in favour of real estate profits.
Time of India
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Samadhan day to be held twice a month in every village: Itankar
Nagpur: The third and fourth Wednesdays of every month will be observed as Samadhan Day in every village across the district. The initiative aims to directly address and resolve citizen grievances at the village level through the active presence of talathis, gram sevaks, and other local government officials, said district collector Vipin Itankar. The announcement was made during a workshop held at the District Planning Hall on Tuesday, where Itankar addressed circle officers and talathis, emphasizing the importance of responsiveness and accountability in rural administration. Additional district collector Pravin Mahire, resident deputy district collector Anup Khande, and senior officials from the zilla parishad and revenue department were also present. "Schemes like Panand road development, encroachment resolution, crop loans, and the Sanjay Gandhi Niradhar Yojana have a direct bearing on rural livelihoods. When implemented transparently and promptly, they reduce the scope for complaints," said Itankar. You Can Also Check: Nagpur AQI | Weather in Nagpur | Bank Holidays in Nagpur | Public Holidays in Nagpur He stressed that village-level officers are the face of the government in rural areas and that their duty readiness sets the tone for public trust. He urged officials to be present and fully engaged on Samadhan Day, ensuring that all citizens who come forward with grievances receive timely redressal and assistance. Itankar also called for the faster implementation of tribal welfare schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Dharti Aaba Yojana and Vanpatta distribution. He highlighted the role of AgriStack in bringing transparency to agricultural services and underlined the importance of resolving long-standing Panand road disputes through local mediation. A circular will soon be issued mandating the regular presence of talathis and gram sevaks in their respective villages on Samadhan Days.
Time of India
19-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
₹500cr Maha Agri-AI Policy Roll Out In 4 Phsases
1 2 3 Nagpur: Taking its ambitious Agri-AI vision a step forward, the Maharashtra govt has finalised a four-phase rollout plan under its ₹500-crore Maha Agri-AI Policy, aimed at transforming farming with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies. The move signals a shift from paper to ground. According to the final policy document prepared by the state agriculture department, the first phase — spread over three months — will focus on setting up the core institutions, including a high-level steering committee, a technical review panel, and a full-time AI and Agritech Innovation Centre to oversee the mission. In the next phase, expected to begin within a year, pilot projects will be launched in select districts to test AI tools like drones, geospatial systems, multilingual chatbots, and advisory platforms. Startups and research bodies will get access to anonymised farm data through a digital 'sandbox' to simulate and refine real-world solutions. Specialised AI labs will also be set up in State Agriculture Universities (SAUs) to develop region-specific innovations. Anil Tekade, a farmer from Katol, expressed his happiness over the project with caution. "AI is undoubtedly the future, and the govt's move is truly commendable. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Hasta 8 meses de protección Seresto Encuéntralo Undo We are all happy to see such progress. However, the real challenge lies in ensuring that a farmer working in the field can fully understand and use this technology. The key is to educate even the last person on the ground so that the benefits truly reach everyone and the actual purpose behind the initiative is fulfilled. That, I believe, will be the real test for the administration." Phase III, planned for 2026, will focus on expanding successful pilots across the state and integrating the platforms with national digital systems such as AgriStack and Bhashini. Phase IV, beginning in 2028, will involve reviewing the results, refining the policy, and replicating the models in other rural sectors like horticulture and livestock. Of the total Rs500 crore outlay, Rs350 crore was earmarked for on-ground AI projects, including incubation and scale-up funding. Another Rs50 crore will go towards training farmers and agriculture officers in using new technologies. An equal amount will be used to build core infrastructure such as traceability tools, AI-powered advisory systems, and satellite-based crop monitoring platforms. A separate Rs20 crore is reserved for global conferences, investor summits, and hackathons to attract innovation and partnerships. Startups, private companies, SAUs, Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), and other research bodies will be able to submit proposals online. Ideas will be categorised into two streams — early-stage innovations needing incubation, and mature solutions ready for scale-up. A technical committee will evaluate each project and recommend the level of support. Farmers adopting approved technologies may also receive direct benefit transfers (DBT) for devices like sensors or digital tools. Experts say that it's encouraging to see the state moving beyond just vision documents. "If implemented with proper field feedback and farmer involvement, this phased approach could make Maharashtra a model for AI in farming. The key will be in handholding farmers through this shift," an expert said. With the launch plan now in place, the govt aims to turn Maharashtra into a leading hub for AI-powered, farmer-first innovation — one that could eventually be replicated across India. Infographics Ambitious Rs 500-crore Maha Agri-AI Policy Intro Maharashtra Govt's ambitious ₹500-crore Maha Agri-AI Policy aims to transform farming using artificial intelligence and emerging technologies. Here's a breakdown of the policy's phases and key components - Phase I (3 months): Setting up core institutions, including a steering committee and AI Innovation Centre - Phase II (within a year): Launching pilot projects in select districts to test AI tools like drones and chatbots - Phase III (2026): Expanding successful pilots and integrating with national digital systems - Phase IV (2028): Reviewing results and replicating models in other rural sectors The policy includes funding for on-ground projects, training, and infrastructure development, with a focus on supporting startups and farmers SALIENT FEATURES * Pilot projects to test AI tools like drones, chatbots, and geospatial systems in select districts. *Digital sandbox to offer anonymised farm data for startups to simulate real-world agricultural solutions. * Specialised AI labs to be set up in State Agriculture Universities for region-specific innovations. * ₹350 crore allocated for ground-level AI projects, including tech incubation and scaling up solutions. * Farmers and officers to get training; ₹50 crore earmarked for capacity-building and tech education. *Phase-wise rollout to integrate with national systems and expand into livestock, horticulture sectors. BREAK-UP OF FUNDS ALLOCATION (₹ crore) AI & Agritech Innovation Centre setup..................30 Digital Public Infrastructure for Agri-AI..................50 • ADeX, Sandbox, Cloud....................................10 • VISTAAR (Advisory Platform)...........................10 • Innovation Centres at SAUs..............................20 • Remote Sensing & Geospatial Engine...............5 • Traceability & Certification Platform....................5 Financial support for AI-based agri projects..........350 Capacity building (farmers & staff).........................50 Global AI Conference, Summit & Hackathons.......20 Total...............................................................₹500 crore
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Business Standard
18-06-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Agri-tech offers productivity gains, but structural challenges remain
The use of drones in agriculture is now being scaled up with speed. Agri-drones can cover 10 times the area of manual sprayers in a day Business Standard Editorial Comment Listen to This Article The Indian agricultural sector is rapidly embracing innovations that promise to enhance productivity, reduce input costs, and empower farmers. Among these, two interventions, namely agri-drones and digital agriculture, stand out. Recent developments, including a national conference organised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare on Agri Stack and the launch of Garuda Aerospace's agri-drone indigenisation facility in Chennai, are therefore important in this regard. The facility will be capable of manufacturing over 100,000 drones over the next two years. Additionally, 300 Centres of Excellence (CoE) were inaugurated to foster skilling, and research & development in drone manufacturing. With plans
Time of India
17-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Farmers to get AI push, Maha to allot Rs500cr for 1st 3 years
Nagpur: The Maharashtra government on Monday approved a new Rs500 crore plan 'MahaAgri-AI Policy 2025–2029' to help farmers use artificial intelligence (AI) and new technologies for better farming. The policy was approved in a cabinet meeting chaired by CM Devendra Fadnavis. Over the next five years, AI will be used for tasks like crop monitoring, weather updates, farm advice, market trends, and pest control. The goal is to make farming more accurate, efficient, and profitable for farmers. Technologies like drones, smart sensors, and mobile apps will help collect and share information with farmers in real time. The policy will begin with Rs500 crore funding for the first three years. A special team, technical experts, and a new Centre for AgriTech and AI Innovation will help run the programme. This centre will also support startups and train people in using new tools. Many existing digital platforms like MahaVedh, AgriStack, CropSAP, and Mahadbt will be integrated together into a single system called agricultural data exchange (A-DeX). It will help farmers get data about land, soil, weather, and markets through easy-to-use mobile and online services. A smart system using satellite images, drones, and internet-connected devices will help government departments make better decisions. It will work along with national platforms like ISRO's Bhuvan and the central government's Fasal project. The state will also start an AI-powered service called Vistaar, which will advise farmers in Marathi using chatbots and voice assistants on topics like crops, prices, pests, and government schemes. To help farmers sell their crops in global markets, a blockchain system will track every step from the farm to the market. It will record the use of fertilizers, farming methods, and quality checks with QR codes, starting with export-quality crops. Four AI training centres will be set up in state agricultural universities. Scientists, officials, and farmer producer groups will be trained in using AI. A helpdesk will also be created for technical support. The government will also host a yearly "AI in Agriculture" event to bring together farmers, experts, companies, and investors. This event will be held in different districts each year. The government in a statement said the entire programme is designed to directly benefit farmers and make farming more modern, secure, and successful in Maharashtra.
