At the state-level Kharif season review meeting held at the Yashwantrao Chavan Centre, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis unveiled a significant technological initiative aimed at transforming the agricultural sector. The meeting, attended by key political leaders and senior officials, focused on strategies for farmer empowerment and enhancing agricultural productivity across Maharashtra.
In a major announcement, the Chief Minister introduced ‘Mahavistar’, an AI-powered mobile application designed to provide real-time, updated agricultural information to farmers. The app will serve as a digital assistant, offering guidance on crop patterns, fertilizer use, water management, and other critical farming practices.
Fadnavis emphasized the need for a “Whole of Government” approach, encouraging all state departments and agencies to work in unison—mirroring the Centre’s model—to maximize the effectiveness of agricultural initiatives.
During the meeting, the Chief Minister underscored several action points for the Agriculture Department:
Guide farmers on efficient use of water and fertilizers.
Promote scientific cropping patterns to maximize yield.
Launch digital agricultural schools in every taluka to foster knowledge dissemination.
Prepare plans to leverage the forecasted above-average rainfall for better agricultural outcomes.
Fadnavis also issued directives to ensure the timely supply of seeds and fertilizers, and demanded strict action against companies coercing farmers into purchasing unnecessary inputs. Furthermore, he emphasized that banks must meet their credit targets to help reduce farmers’ dependency on private moneylenders.
Despite agriculture contributing 11% to India’s GDP, nearly 45% of the population depends on the sector. The Chief Minister called for greater strategic investments and robust implementation of government schemes. He also urged increased registration of farmers under the 'Agristack' initiative, which aims to digitize agricultural data and streamline services.
The high-level meeting was attended by Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, Agriculture Minister Adv. Manikrao Kokate, Minister of State Adv. Ashish Jaiswal, and other senior officials and public representatives.
Alongside the Mahavistar App, the Maha DBT scheme (Direct Benefit Transfer) and agriculture guidebooks were also launched, marking a significant step forward in digitally empowering the state’s farming community.