Ashta, Maharashtra

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This article is about the town in Maharashtra. For the town in Madhya Pradesh, see Ashta.

?Ashta Maharashtra • India
Ashta
Coordinates: 16°57′N 74°24′E / 16.95, 74.4
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
Area • Elevation	• 567 m (1,860 ft)
District(s)	Sangli
Population	33,190 (2001)

Coordinates: 16°57′N 74°24′E / 16.95, 74.4 Ashta is a city and a municipal council in Sangli district in the state of Maharashtra, India. Ashta is a municipality dating back to the days of the British rule, from the year 1853.

[edit] Geography

Ashta is located at 16.95° N 74.4° E^[1]. It has an average elevation of 567 metres (1860 ft).

Ashta in Sangli District is also known as Sawalakhi Ashta, apparently in British days this town has tax dues (Shet sara) of 1.25 lakh. Unconfirmed data shows this town has around 35,000 acres (140 km²) of agri. land, largest for any town in maharashtra.

Ashta is famous for Bhavai festival.

Ashta is also famous for its progressive farmers and well cultivated farms producing soyabean,sugar cane, paan mala (betel nut leaves farming), flowers and what not. Ashta is major producer of sugarcane supplied to adjoining sugar factories as Sarvodaya (5km), Hutatma (7km), Vasantadada (21km) and Rajarambapu (21 km). Farming community constitutes more than 70 % population of this town.

Ashta is also famous for successful running of credit co-operative societies (Pat sanshta). There are more than 40 credit co-operative societies operating out of Ashta.

Ashta is relatively cleaner city and has won many awards under Sant gadge Baba gram swachchata abhiyan (Saint Gadge baba town cleanliness movement). Roads are in pretty good shape and there are lot of improvements on infrastructure front which has many accolade's.

[edit] Demographics

As of 2001 India census^[2], Ashta had a population of 33,190. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Ashta has an average literacy rate of 70%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with 56% of the males and 44% of females literate. 12% of the population is under 6 years of age.