The Maharashtra government has decided to replace traditional on-field crop surveys with Satellite Images and the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) to assess crop damage and distribute compensation, a senior agriculture department official told PTI.
This new technology-driven approach, however, will not apply to drought-related assessments.
How It Works:
NDVI measures vegetation health by analysing how plants reflect or absorb specific wavelengths of light. Satellite sensors measure this reflected light, enabling accurate, large-scale assessments of crop conditions.
Satellite sensors measure this reflected light, enabling accurate analysis of crops’ condition, a senior agriculture department official explained to PTI.
The NDVI is a numerical indicator, ranging from -1 to +1, that assesses the presence and health of green vegetation. Values close to 1 indicate high vegetation density and health, while values closer to 0 or negative represent non-vegetated surfaces like bare soil, water, or snow.
Scope and Implementation:
- Aid for crop damage due to natural calamities (excluding droughts) will now be based on satellite images and NDVI readings.
- Satellite-based assessment will also be used for crop insurance claims.
- Although a study group initially recommended piloting the system in one district, the government decided to implement it statewide in a single phase.
- Opposition from some ministers delayed the planned January 1, 2025, rollout, but the decision has now been finalised after a three-month delay.
Additional Indices:
Along with NDVI, other indices like the Normalised Difference Water Index (NDWI), Vegetation Condition Index (VCI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), and Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI) will be deployed starting from the Kharif 2025-26 season in selected districts across Marathwada, Vidarbha, Western Maharashtra, and North Maharashtra.
Madhya Pradesh already uses the NDVI method for agricultural damage assessment. Maharashtra’s study group, after examining their procedures, submitted its report recommending the adoption of these advanced technologies.
Approval for this transition was granted in a meeting chaired by the Additional Chief Secretary of the Revenue Department in December 2024.
