District Collector Launches Agricultural Sankalp Abhiyan to Boost Farm Development in Thane
Thane, May 29, 2025 — District Collector Ashok Shingare flagged off the ‘Developed Agricultural Resolution Mission’ (Krushi Sankalp Abhiyan) at the Thane District Collector’s Office on Wednesday, marking the start of a 15-day awareness and outreach campaign aimed at empowering farmers with scientific knowledge and government support schemes.
The initiative, set to run from May 29 to June 12, 2025, will cover 90 villages across the talukas of Murbad, Kalyan, Shahapur, Bhiwandi, and Ambernath. Each day, officials and agricultural experts will visit six villages, engaging directly with the farming community.
Present at the inauguration were Additional District Collector Harishchandra Patil, Associate Dean of Mumbai Veterinary College Dr. Shailesh Ingole, Senior Scientist and Head of the Thane Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) Dr. Suresh Jagdale, along with KVK experts Dr. Salil Hande, Dr. Mayura Gole, Dr. Sangram Chavan, and Dr. Sanjay Kadam. Also in attendance were Resident Deputy Collector Dr. Sandeep Mane, District Superintendent Agriculture Officer Rameshwar Pache, and tehsildars Revan Lembhe and Sachin Chaudhar.
During the event, Collector Shingare released an informational booklet designed to help farmers navigate and benefit from a range of government agricultural schemes. This comprehensive resource covers topics such as scientific goat and dairy farming, hybrid fodder cultivation, organic farming techniques, food processing for fodder improvement, animal care (especially for diseases like lumpy skin), and value chain development under the SMART (Balasaheb Thackeray Agribusiness and Rural Transformation) project.
Key government programs such as the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) and the Agristack farmer identification initiative are also explained in the booklet, which will be distributed during village visits via public outreach vehicles.
The Sankalp Abhiyan emphasizes several core objectives:
- Dissemination of the latest Kharif crop technologies under the Samruddha Shiktar National Mission
- Promotion of organic and sustainable farming practices
- Use of soil health cards to guide crop selection and nutrient management
- Demonstration of advanced farming tools including agricultural drones
- Encouragement of crop diversification and mechanization
- Direct engagement between farmers and agricultural scientists
- Recognition and promotion of grassroots innovations by farmers
This comprehensive mission seeks to modernize local agriculture, bridge knowledge gaps, and ensure that farmers across Thane district are equipped to enhance productivity and resilience in the upcoming agricultural season.