IMPLEMENTATION OF DRONE DIDI SCHEME
IMPLEMENTATION OF DRONE DIDI SCHEME
The Government has approved ‘Namo Drone Didi’ as Central Sector Scheme for providing 15,000 drones to the Women Self Help Groups (SHGs) with an outlay of Rs. 1261 Crores for the period from 2023-24 to 2025-26. The major objectives of the scheme is to promote advance technology in agriculture for improved efficiency, enhanced crop yield & reduced cost of operation and to empower SHGs as drone service providers for increasing their income and providing livelihood support to them. Under this scheme, Central Financial Assistance (CFA) @ 80% of the cost of drone package up to a maximum of Rs. 8.00 lakhs is provided to the selected women SHGs. 15 days drone pilot training for one of the members of SHGs and 5 days drone assistant training to other member/family member of SHGs is provided as a part of drone package.
Lead Fertilizer Companies (LFCs) have distributed 1094 drones to drone didis of SHGs in 2023-24 using their internal resources. Out of these 1094 drones, 500 drones have been distributed under the Namo Drone Didi Scheme. The State-wise distribution of 1094 drones is attached at Annexure -I. Members of these SHGs have been trained as drone pilots at various Remote Pilot Training Organizations (RPTOs) authorized by Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The allocation of remaining 14500 drones has been informed to the State Governments as indicated in Annexure-II.
Agricultural Development and Rural Transformation Centre (ADRTC), Bangalore have carried out a study on economics and business viability of drone operations on the 500 drones distributed by LFCs under Namo Drone Didi scheme. The findings indicates that kisan drones cover an area of one acre in 7-8 minutes and the flight time on a single battery charge of the kisan drones of various manufacturers ranged from 5-20 minutes. The drone package under Namo Drone Didi scheme include one standard battery set and additional four battery sets.
The study report also indicate that, where the utility vehicles were not provided with the drones supplied by LFCs, 42.68 per cent of the Drone Didis faced transportation-related issues, with the South (78.82%) being the most affected. 68.66 per cent drone didis also reported that hiring a transport vehicle was costly. To address the drone transport issue, a provision has been made under Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM) to provide financial assistance @ 80% to the Women SHGs identified under Namo Drone Didi scheme for purchase of Multi-utility machines, which are also used as drone transport. The study also indicate that the SHGs were primarily engaged in agriculture and allied activities and the drones provided to them has expanded their niche to modern agricultural practices through drone technology, enhancing their efficiency and productivity. Overall, the adoption of drones has diversified SHG activities, improved agricultural practices, and increased income opportunities for women in rural communities.
Annexure-I
State-wise number of drones distributed to SHGs by the LFCs in 2023-24 and the members of SHGs given drone pilot training
S. No
State Name
No. of Drones distributed
No. of members of SHGs given drone pilot training
1.
Andhra Pradesh
108
108
2.
Assam
28
28
3.
Bihar
32
32
4.
Chhattisgarh
15
15
5.
Goa
1
1
6.
Gujarat
58
58
7.
Haryana
102
102
8.
Himachal Pradesh
4
4
9.
J&K
2
2
10.
Jharkhand
15
15
11.
Karnataka
145
145
12.
Kerala
51
51
13.
Madhya Pradesh
89
89
14.
Maharashtra
60
60
15.
Odisha
16
16
16.
Punjab
57
57
17.
Rajasthan
40
40
18
Tamil Nadu
44
44
19.
Telangana
81
81
20.
Uttar Pradesh
128
128
21.
Uttarakhand
3
3
22.
West Bengal
15
15
Total
1094
1094
Annexure-II
State-wise Allocation of 14500 Drones under Namo Drone Didi Scheme
S. No.
States
Allocation of Drones (Numbers)
1
Andhra Pradesh
440
2
Arunachal Pradesh
10
3
Assam
183
4
Bihar
999
5
Chhattisgarh
361
6
Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu
10
7
Goa
10
8
Gujarat
1024
9
Haryana
583
10
Himachal Pradesh
75
11
Jammu and Kashmir
134
12
Jharkhand
168
13
Karnataka
824
14
Kerala
82
15
Madhya Pradesh
1066
16
Maharashtra
1612
17
Meghalaya
23
18
Mizoram
10
19
Nagaland
10
20
Odisha
457
21
Puducherry
10
22
Punjab
1021
23
Rajasthan
1070
24
Tamil Nadu
479
25
Telangana
381
26
Tripura
27
27
Uttar Pradesh
2236
28
Uttarakhand
102
29
West Bengal
1093
Total
14500
This information was given by Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Ramnath Thakur in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.