The Maharashtra government has introduced a new system to help farmers complete e-crop sowing registration even in areas with poor internet connectivity and technical issues. Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule told the state assembly that farmers can now take photos of their standing crops offline using their mobile phones, news agency PTI reported.
“The images will automatically upload to the system once the network becomes available,” the minister said, addressing concerns raised by MLA Anil Patil during the Budget Session in the state assembly. This new facility aims to ensure that farmers in remote areas are not left out of the registration process due to connectivity problems.
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The e-crop registration system has been operational since 2021 and is strictly enforced from 2025-26. However, farmers in rural areas often face difficulties due to network issues, server downtime, GPS errors, and unavailability of officials. To overcome these challenges, the Digital Crop Survey (DCS) system has been activated.
“The government aims that nearly 80 per cent of the registrations should be completed directly by farmers,” the minister said , while the remaining entries are handled by the Revenue Department as per PTI reports.
In cases where farmers face technical difficulties, village-level officials such as talathis and revenue assistants step in to help complete the registration. Farmers are required to complete the registration process within 55 days of sowing, after which the department completes the remaining steps. This ensures timely and accurate registration of crops, which is essential for government support and subsidies.
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Minister Bawankule also noted that the e-crop system is built on a platform developed by the Centre, so there are certain technical limitations at the state level.
Despite this, the government is taking steps to resolve farmers’ grievances and improve implementation.
The offline photo upload facility is expected to reduce disruptions caused by poor connectivity, server errors, and other technical issues. This step will make crop registration smoother, faster, and more farmer-friendly, ensuring that farmers across Maharashtra can easily register their crops and access government schemes without unnecessary delays or difficulties.
(With PTI Inputs)