Executive Summary:
The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare addresses Lok Sabha question 2655 regarding the Namo Drone Didi scheme. The scheme, with an outlay of Rs. 1261 Crores from 2023-24 to 2025-26, aims to provide drones to women Self-Help Groups (SHGs), promote agricultural technology, increase SHG income, and offer livelihood support. As of 2023-24, 114 drones have been provided to drone didis in Uttar Pradesh. The scheme includes drone packages with training and support, with a committee overseeing implementation.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Scheme Overview:**
* Namo Drone Didi is a Central Sector Scheme.
* Budget of Rs. 1261 Crores allocated for 2023-24 to 2025-26.
* Objectives: promote technology in agriculture, empower SHGs, increase income.
* **Drone Distribution:**
* Lead Fertilizer Companies (LFCs) distributed 1094 drones in 2023-24, 500 under the scheme.
* Uttar Pradesh received 114 drones (district-wise details in Annexure I).
* Mainpuri district received four drones, generating an average additional annual income of Rs. 1.00 lakhs per SHG.
* **Drone Package Details:**
* Includes: drone with spray assembly, carrying box, standard & spare battery sets, camera, chargers, anemometer, pH meter, warranty, insurance, and annual maintenance.
* Training: 15 days for one SHG member, 5 days for another member/family member.
* **Implementation & Support:**
* State-level committee responsible for: cluster selection, SHG selection, training, drone usage assessment, business facilitation.
* Committee members drawn from: Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, DAY-NRLM, Cooperative Department, Lead Banks, NABARD, LFC representatives, ICAR/SAUs/KVKs.
* Financial assistance (80%) under SMAM for purchasing multi-utility machines for drone transport.
* **Annexure I Summary:**
* Lists the district-wise number of SHGs in Uttar Pradesh provided with drones by LFCs.
* Prayagraj has the highest number (16), followed by Varanasi (9), and Gorakhpur (7).
Impact Analysis:
* **Women Self-Help Groups (SHGs):**
* *Impact:* Enhanced income through drone rental services and empowerment through technology adoption.
* *Action Required:* Participate in provided training, utilize drones effectively, coordinate with LFCs and pesticide companies for business opportunities.
* **Farmers:**
* *Impact:* Access to advanced technology for improved crop yield and reduced operational costs.
* *Action Required:* Utilize drone services for spraying fertilizers and pesticides.
* **State Government (Departments of Agriculture, Rural Development, etc.):**
* *Impact:* Responsible for effective scheme implementation, cluster selection, SHG selection, and monitoring drone usage.
* *Action Required:* Form the state-level committee, ensure business opportunities for SHGs, address challenges related to drone maintenance and farmer demand.
* **Lead Fertilizer Companies (LFCs):**
* *Impact:* Contribute to drone distribution and provide business opportunities for selected Women SHGs
* *Action Required:* Coordinate with the state-level committee to provide business to selected Women SHGs in coordination with the Pesticide companies etc.
Key Entities Referenced
Namo Drone Didi Scheme: A Central Sector Scheme for providing drones to Women Self Help Groups (SHGs) to promote technology in agriculture and empower SHGs as drone service providers.
Women Self Help Groups: Groups of women that are being trained and provided with drones under the Namo Drone Didi scheme to offer drone rental services to farmers.
Uttar Pradesh: A state in India where the Namo Drone Didi scheme is being implemented, and where SHGs have been provided with drones.
Mainpuri: A district in Uttar Pradesh where drone services are being utilized by farmers and generating income for SHGs.
Lead Fertilizer Companies: Companies that have distributed drones to drone didis of SHGs using their internal resources.
Central Sector Scheme: Scheme fully funded by the Union Government
National Rural Livelihoods Mission: A rural development program by the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India
National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development: An apex development finance institution in India.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE & FARMERS WELFARE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE & FARMERS WELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2655
TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 5TH AUGUST 2025
SUPPORT TO SHGs UNDER NAMO DRONE DIDI SCHEME
2655. SHRI PUSHPENDRA SAROJ:
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 number of women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) trained and provided with drones
under the Namo Drone Didi scheme in Uttar Pradesh since its inception, along with the
utilization rates of these drones district-wise;
(b) the average monthly income generated by these SHGs through drone rental services
to farmers in Uttar Pradesh, particularly in the district of Mainpuri;
(c) the number of small and marginal farmers who have availed these services, along
with the details of cost savings and yield improvements achieved district-wise; and
(d) the specific measures undertaken to address reported challenges such as
substandard drone batteries, lack of timely maintenance support, insufficient farmer
demand, gaps in post- training handholding and business facilitation for the ‘Drone Didis’,
with the details thereof?
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 (c): 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. 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. 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 district-wise allocation is made by the State Governments and as per the
information provided by the Uttar Pradesh State Rural Livelihood Mission (UPSRLM), 114
drones have been provided to the drone didis of the State of Uttar Pradesh and the district-
wise details are placed at Annexure-I. These drones on an average are used for seven
months across the year. Specific district-wise details of month-wise utilization of these
drones is not maintained by UPSRLM. Four drones are provided to the drone didis of
Mainpuri district and as informed by UPSRLM, their additional annual income from drone
services is Rs. 1.00 lakhs.(d): The drones under the Namo Drone Didi scheme are provided as a package which
include basic drone with spray assembly for spraying liquid fertilizers and pesticides, Drone
carrying box, standard battery set, downward facing camera, dual-channel fast battery
charger, battery charger hub, anemometer, pH meter and 1 year onsite warranty on all
items. The package also includes 04 spare battery sets, one spare propeller set (each set
contains 6 propellers), nozzle set, dual channel fast battery charger, battery charger hub,
one year comprehensive insurance, 2 years annual maintenance contract and applicable
GST. 15 days training for one of the members of SHGs and 5 days training to other
member/family member of SHGs is provided as a part of drone package.
The Committee at State level with members drawn from Department of
Agriculture/Agricultural Engineering of the State, Rural Development, State Mission
Directorate of Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-
NRLM), State Cooperative Department, Lead Banks/ National Bank for Agriculture & Rural
Development (NABARD), representatives of Lead Fertilizer Company (LFC) nominated for
the state, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)/State Agricultural Universities
(SAUs)/Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) 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. 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.Annexure-I
District-wise number of women SHGs in Uttar Pradesh who have been provided drones
by the Lead Fertilizer Companies
S. Name of District No. of SHGs provided with the
No. Drones by LFCs
1. Agra 3
2. Aligarh 2
3. Ambedkar Nagar 2
4. Amethi 4
5. Ayodhya 6
6. Badaun 1
7. Balia 1
8. Barabanki 4
9. Bareili 4
10. Basti 1
11. Bijnore 1
12. Bulandshahr 1
13. Chandauli 1
14. Deoria 2
15. Etah 2
16. Gonda 2
17. Gorakhpur 7
18. Hardoi 2
19. Hathras 1
20. Jalaun 1
21. Jaunpur 4
22. Jhansi 3
23. Kushinagar 2
24. Lakhimpur Kheri 3
25. Maharajganj 2
26. Mahoba 1
27. Mainpuri 4
28. Meerut 2
29. Moradabad 3
30. Pratapgarh 3
31. Prayagraj 16
32. Raebareli 2
33. Sant Kabeer Nagar 2
34. Shahjahanpur 3
35. Sitapur 4
36. Sonbhadra 1
37. Sultanpur 1
38. Unnao 1
39. Varanasi 9
Total 114
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