Mumbai, Feb 28 (PTI) Senior NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil on Saturday said Maharashtra's artificial intelligence (AI) policy for agriculture is a welcome step but its implementation has been slow.

He also raised concerns over farmers' income, crop prices and rural infrastructure.

Participating in a debate in the assembly, he said it was encouraging that the government is moving away from divisive issues and focusing on modern sectors like AI, which is being widely used across industry, education, healthcare and banking and is now entering agriculture.

He said AI tools such as soil moisture sensors, weather prediction systems, crop disease detection apps and drone-based crop monitoring can significantly increase productivity, but the government must ensure that benefits reach ordinary farmers.

Patil noted that Rs 500 crore had been provided in the previous budget by then finance minister Ajit Pawar for AI initiatives, but alleged not a single rupee had been spent so far and sought detailed information from the government.

He said the recently held 'AI for Agri 2026' event in Mumbai did not benefit farmers at the grassroots level. He criticised the government for prioritising summits over groundwork.

Highlighting successful examples, Patil said farmers in parts of the state have achieved very high sugarcane yields using AI-based systems and institutions such as the Vasantdada Sugar Institute have done commendable work in precision farming.

"The government has announced an AI policy including institutional development, digital public infrastructure, financial support for agri-AI projects, capacity building and global investment summits, but key steps such as setting up innovation centres in agricultural universities and appointing leadership for the state-level AI and Agritech Innovation Centre are still pending," he said.

Patil flagged the digital divide in rural areas, saying farmers in remote and tribal regions still lack access to internet, electricity, smartphones and training required for AI-based farming.

He said climate change is already hitting farmers hard and AI can help reduce losses, and the government must set up a committee and prepare a concrete roadmap to ensure farmers' incomes rise.

The NCP SP leader also raised the issue of falling prices of crops such as onion, maize and soybean and demanded minimum support prices and subsidies, alleging frequent changes in export policy are hurting farmers.

He expressed concern over losses to grape growers in districts such as Nashik, Sangli, Solapur, Pune and Satara due to unseasonal rains and cheap imports, and sought strict checks on imports affecting local produce.

Patil also questioned the implementation of the Re 1 crop insurance scheme, alleging corruption and seeking data on payouts to farmers versus payments made to insurance companies.

He stressed the need for strong data protection safeguards for farmers as AI systems collect large amounts of agricultural and personal data.

Raising concerns about unemployment, Patil said AI-driven mechanisation could reduce jobs for farm labourers and youth in sectors such as IT, and the government must plan for reskilling.

He also sought details on the progress of rural farm road projects announced under the Baliraja farm road scheme, including kilometres completed, pending works and quality checks.

Patil further highlighted the growing human-wildlife conflict in parts of Maharashtra, especially increasing leopard attacks in the western and northern districts, and demanded urgent measures including use of technology, relocation and compensation to affected families.

He urged the government to take all these issues seriously and ensure transparent and effective implementation of schemes for the welfare of farmers and rural communities. PTI MR BNM