Mumbai, Feb 4 (IANS): Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Monday said that the government is considering the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in agriculture to increase crop yields and reduce costs.

He has directed the Agriculture Department to explore the technical and financial feasibility of using AI in agriculture in collaboration with the Cooperation Department.

“The government is planning to use AI in agriculture to increase crop yields, reduce costs, and improve the livelihoods of farmers. The use of AI in agriculture is expected to revolutionise the sector and make it more efficient and productive,” he added.

At a meeting on the use of AI in agriculture, Pawar said that the use of AI in agriculture is essential to increase crop yields and reduce costs. He added that AI can be used to analyse soil health, detect pests and diseases, and optimise irrigation systems.

The meeting was attended by Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate, Minister of State for Agriculture Ashish Jaiswal, Minister of State for Cooperation Pankaj Bhoyar and other officials.

Pawar directed the Agriculture Department to study the feasibility of using AI in agriculture and submit a report to the government. He also emphasised the need to provide training to farmers on the use of AI in agriculture.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also directed officials to expedite the implementation of various flagship schemes, including the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), Jal Jeevan Mission, and Ayushman Bharat.

He asked the officials to speed up the construction of houses under PMAY, with a focus on completing the target of 19.66 lakh houses in rural areas. As of now, 16.81 lakh houses have been approved.

In the case of the Jal Jeevan Mission, the Chief Minister has directed officials to complete the works under the Jal Jeevan Mission, which aims to provide clean drinking water to rural households. He also emphasised the need for solarisation of the scheme to reduce electricity bills.

Further, Fadnavis instructed officials to expedite the distribution of Ayushman cards, which provide health insurance coverage to beneficiaries. He also directed officials to include more private hospitals and municipal hospitals in Mumbai and its suburbs under the scheme.

Fadnavis instructed officials to address the issues related to land availability for housing schemes and to prioritise the completion of pending works. He also directed officials to ensure the quality of construction materials, including sand, bricks, and cement, for housing schemes.

The Chief Minister emphasised the need for effective implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission and Ayushman Bharat schemes to benefit the people of Maharashtra.