The Government has approved ‘Namo Drone Didi’ as Central Sector Scheme for providing drones to the Women Self Help Groups (SHGs) with an outlay of Rs. 1261 Crores for the period from 2023-24 to 2025-26.  Out of the total 15,000 drones targeted to be supplied under the scheme, the Lead Fertilizer Companies (LFCs) have procured the first 500 drones in 2023-24, using their internal resources and distributed to the selected SHGs. During the financial year 2024-25, it has been targeted to distribute drones to 3090 SHGs in the first phase.

The scheme is implemented by converging the resources of Department  of Agriculture & Farmer’s Welfare (DA&FW), Department of Rural Development (DoRD) and Department of Fertilizers (DoF), Women SHGs promoted under DAY - NRLM and Lead Fertilizer Companies (LFCs).  The Committee at State level  with members drawn from various line Departments and institutions is responsible for selection of appropriate clusters for drone usage, selection of the progressive women SHGs under DAY - NRLM in the States in the identified clusters for providing drones, selection of members of the women SHGs for drone pilot and drone assistant training, assessment of district-wise drone usage, identification of existing gap, availability and future requirements of drone usage, providing/ensuring business to selected Women SHGs in coordination with the LFCs and Pesticide companies etc.

The drones are supplied as a package, which also includes mandatory drone pilot training and additional training for agriculture purpose for nutrient and pesticide application for one of the members of these women SHGs. Provisions are also made to train other member/ family member of the SHGs as drone assistant. The Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare has already issued the detailed operational guidelines of the scheme in October 2024.

The interventions under the scheme are targeted towards providing business and livelihood support to SHGs. The drones provided to the SHGs are to be used by them for providing rental services to the farmers for spraying of liquid fertilizers & pesticides. The LFCs are to promote use of Nano fertilizers by the drones to provide business to SHGs. The Committee at the State level is mandated to provide/ensure business to selected Women SHGs in coordination with the LFCs and Pesticide companies.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Shri Ram Nath Thakur in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

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