Government Considering E-Crop Survey Using Satellites and Drones – CM Devendra Fadnavis

Legislative Assembly Q&A Session

Mumbai : The state government is considering conducting e-crop surveys using satellites and drones in collaboration with MRSAC (Maharashtra Remote Sensing Application Center) to enhance accuracy in crop assessment, said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis during the Q&A session in the Legislative Assembly.

Currently, e-crop surveys are being conducted through an app, and it has been made mandatory to ensure accurate crop records on farmers’ land documents (7/12 extract). However, the government relaxes this requirement when providing financial aid to farmers. In areas with no network or technical difficulties, offline surveys are permitted and later uploaded online. The government will take action against officials if e-crop surveys are not conducted at the village level. Efforts will also be made to coordinate revenue, agriculture, and rural development departments for better implementation.

Revenue Minister Yogesh Kadam stated that in hilly regions with no network, crop surveys will be conducted by village revenue officers (Talathis) and verified at the Mandal officer level. Legislators Kailas Patil, Pratap Adsad, Satyajit Deshmukh, Bhaskar Jadhav, Randhir Savarkar, and Amit Jhanak participated in the discussion.

Onion Irradiation Storage Centers to be Set Up on Samruddhi Expressway – Dy CM Eknath Shinde

Mumbai : Maharashtra accounts for 40% of India’s onion production, and the state government is working to improve storage facilities to maintain supply chain stability. Nuclear energy-based onion irradiation storage centers will be established along the Samruddhi Expressway, and the central government will be urged to reduce onion export duty, stated Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in the Legislative Assembly.

The discussion arose from a question by Chhagan Bhujbal regarding the removal of the 20% export duty on onions. Members Rohit Pawar, Randhir Savarkar, Siddharth Kharat, Hemant Ogle, Dilip Banker, Rahul Kul, Saroj Ahire, and Ashish Deshmukh participated in the debate.

Shinde emphasized that onion production is crucial for Maharashtra’s economy, and long-term solutions will be devised to address farmers’ concerns. The government will also work on increasing onion cold storage capacity and raising subsidies through the agriculture department.

Marketing Minister Jaykumar Rawal added that continuous efforts are being made with the central government to stabilize market prices and support farmers. The government aims to create a long-term pricing strategy and improve onion preservation techniques to reduce spoilage.

Pure Drinking Water for Every Student – School Education Minister Dadaji Bhuse

Mumbai : The Maharashtra government is committed to providing pure drinking water in all schools, and efforts are being made in collaboration with MRSAC to map existing facilities and identify necessary improvements, said School Education Minister Dadaji Bhuse in the Legislative Assembly.

In response to a question by Mohan Mate, Bhuse stated that out of 3,980 schools in Nagpur district, 2,451 have functional RO water facilities. The government will ensure that schools lacking clean drinking water will receive the required infrastructure.

Members Bhaskar Jadhav and Dr. Nitin Raut participated in the discussion.