Executive Summary:
The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare addresses questions regarding the Drone Didi scheme's implementation. The scheme, named Namo Drone Didi, aims to provide 15,000 drones to Women Self Help Groups (SHGs) by 2025-26, with an outlay of Rs. 1261 Crores, to promote technology in agriculture, empower SHGs, and increase income opportunities. The scheme provides financial assistance and training to women, and addresses challenges like limited battery life and drone transportation.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Scheme Overview:**
* Namo Drone Didi scheme approved as a Central Sector Scheme.
* Aims to provide 15,000 drones to Women SHGs from 2023-24 to 2025-26.
* Total outlay of Rs. 1261 Crores.
* Objectives include promoting advanced agricultural technology, enhancing crop yield, reducing costs, and empowering SHGs.
* **Financial Assistance:**
* Central Financial Assistance (CFA) of 80% of the drone package cost, up to Rs. 8.00 lakhs, is provided to selected women SHGs.
* **Training Programs:**
* 15 days of drone pilot training for one SHG member.
* 5 days of drone assistant training for another SHG/family member.
* **Drone Distribution & Usage:**
* Lead Fertilizer Companies (LFCs) distributed 1094 drones in 2023-24, including 500 under the Namo Drone Didi Scheme.
* State-wise drone distribution is detailed in Annexure I.
* Remaining 14,500 drones allocated to State Governments as per Annexure II.
* Drones cover approximately one acre in 7-8 minutes, with battery life ranging from 5-20 minutes across manufacturers.
* The drone package includes one standard and four additional battery sets.
* **Transportation Challenges & Solutions:**
* 42.68% of Drone Didis faced transportation issues, especially in the South (78.82%).
* 68.66% reported high costs of hiring transport vehicles.
* Financial assistance (80%) is provided under Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM) for purchasing multi-utility machines for drone transport.
* **Impact & Outcomes:**
* Drones expand SHG activities to modern agricultural practices, enhancing efficiency and productivity.
* Diversifies SHG activities and increases income opportunities for women in rural communities.
Impact Analysis:
* **Women Self Help Groups (SHGs):**
* *Impact:* Provided with drones, financial assistance, and training, leading to enhanced income and agricultural productivity.
* *Action Required:* Participate in training programs, effectively utilize drones for agricultural activities, and manage transportation logistics.
* **State Governments:**
* *Impact:* Responsible for allocating and overseeing the distribution of drones within their respective states.
* *Action Required:* Distribute the allocated drones (as per Annexure II) and coordinate training programs for SHG members.
* **Lead Fertilizer Companies (LFCs):**
* *Impact:* Involved in the initial distribution of drones.
* *Action Required:* Continue supporting the scheme through resource allocation and facilitating drone distribution.
* **Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA):**
* *Impact:* Authorizes Remote Pilot Training Organizations (RPTOs).
* *Action Required:* Maintain oversight of RPTOs to ensure quality drone pilot training.
Key Entities Referenced
Namo Drone Didi: A Central Sector Scheme for providing 15,000 drones to Women Self Help Groups (SHGs).
Women Self Help Groups: Target beneficiaries of the Namo Drone Didi scheme, intended to empower women and provide livelihood support through drone services.
Central Financial Assistance: Financial support provided under the Namo Drone Didi scheme, covering 80% of the drone package cost, up to Rs. 8.00 lakhs for selected women SHGs.
Lead Fertilizer Companies: Organizations that have distributed drones to drone didis of SHGs using their internal resources.
Directorate General of Civil Aviation: Authority responsible for authorizing Remote Pilot Training Organizations (RPTOs) where SHG members are trained as drone pilots.
Agricultural Development and Rural Transformation Centre, Bangalore, Karnataka: Organization that conducted a study on the economics and business viability of drone operations under the Namo Drone Didi scheme.
Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization: A scheme under which financial assistance is provided to Women SHGs identified under Namo Drone Didi scheme for purchase of Multiutility machines, which are also used as drone transport.
Andhra Pradesh: One of the states where drones have been distributed to SHGs under the Namo Drone Didi scheme.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE & FARMERS WELFARE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE & FARMERS WELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1582
TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 29TH JULY 2025
IMPLEMENTATION OF DRONE DIDI SCHEME
1582. SHRI PARSHOTTAMBHAI RUPALA:
Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ िष एवं िकसान क(cid:670)ाण मं(cid:361)ी
be pleased to state:
(a) the details of the progress under the Drone Didi scheme, including the number of
women-led drone startups and services supported and the areas where they are operating;
(b) whether it is true that the battery of drones used under the scheme has limited
working time, resulting in reduced efficiency and productivity, if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether it is true that drones require separate transportation, which is not
economically viable for the Drone Didi scheme, if so, the measures being taken to address
this challenge;
(d) the details of the training and capacity-building programs provided to women under
the scheme and the number of women who have benefited from these programs; and
(e) the details of expected outcomes of the Drone Didi scheme in terms of promoting
women's entrepreneurship and increasing agricultural productivity and the timeline for
achieving these outcomes?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
कृ िष एवं िकसान क(cid:670)ाण रा(cid:475) मं(cid:361)ी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)
(a) to (e): 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 trainedas 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 No. of members of SHGs
distributed 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 1094Annexure-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
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