| Ashta | |
| — city — | |
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| Coordinates | |
| Country | India |
| State | Maharashtra |
| District(s) | Sangli |
| Population | 33,190 (2001[update]) |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+05:30) |
| Area |
• 567 metres (1,860 ft) |
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.
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Ashta is located at .[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 agriculturl 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 (5 km), Hutatma (7 km), Vasantadada (21 km) and Rajarambapu (21 km). Farming community constitutes more than 70 % population of this town.
The agricultural land around the town is very well irrigated with the waters of River Krishna and Warna. Ashta enjoys abundant water and electricity supply. Municipal council of Ashta have just finished the work of laying a new water distribution pipeline which is going to further imrpove the supply of potable water.
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 accolades.
Ashta has very good connectivity to all the major cities around as it is located on State Highway No. 133 which connects Tehsil Shirala in the west, Islampur and passing through Sangli-Miraj to Vijapur in Karnataka.
Ample buses, both MSRTC and private ply to Pune-Mumbai, Kolhapur.
Recently, Municipal Council of Ashta implemented a project of concritisation of all the lanes in the town which has led to more improved hygiene.
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.
From last 15 years there were no elections held in Ashta but in 2011 there will be elections where 5 Major parties with contest with each other. 2 candidates have declared themselves as Crorepati.