Lok Sabha Question No. 3003 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-22
Subject: Adoption of Drone Technology
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Raja Amareshwara Naik, Bhola Singh, Rajveer (Raju Bhaiya) Singh, Hema Malini, Jayanta Kumar Roy, Sukanta Majumdar, Sangeeta Kumari Singh Deo, Vinod Kumar Sonkar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE & FARMERS WELFARE

## DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE & FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3003

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 22 ND MARCH 2022

## ADOPTION OF DRONE TECHNOLOGY

3003. SHRI RAJA AMARESHWARA NAIK:

SHRI BHOLA SINGH:

SHRI RAJVEER SINGH (RAJU BHAIYA):

SHRIMATI HEMA MALINI:

DR. JAYANTA KUMAR ROY:

DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR:

SHRIMATI SANGEETA KUMARI SINGHDEO:

SHRI VINOD KUMAR SONKAR:

Will  the  Minister  of  AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  adoption  of  drone  technology  is  theneed  of  the  hour  and  will  benefit farmers across thecountry and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)  whether  the  Government  has  released  StandardOperating  Procedure  (SOP)  for  the use  of  Drone  inPesticide  Application  for  Crop  Protection  and  for  sprayingsoil  and  crop nutrients and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government is of the view that theuse of drones in agriculture may also give ampleopportunities to provide employment to people in ruralareas;
- (d)  the  other  steps  being  taken  by  the  Government  regarding  application  of  new technologies in agriculturesector in the country;
- (e) whether precision farming reduces cost ofproduction in agriculture and the Government ispromoting use of kisan drones for boosting precisionfarming and if so, the details thereof; and
- (f)  whether  the  Government  has  made  any  provisionto  provide  grant  to  Farmers Producers Organizations(FPOs) for drones and kisan drones that would be usedto carry vegetables, fruits, fish to the market directlyfrom farms and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

- (a) to (f): The deployment of technology in agriculture including the precision farming technologies is very important to provide long-term solutions for improving the agriculture sector's  productivity  and  efficiency  and  therefore,  theGovernment  of  India  supports  and facilitates the State Governments through various Centrally Sponsored and Central Sector Schemes  to  promote  agriculture  throughout  the  country  and  infusing  new  technologies including agricultural dronesinto the agriculture sector.

Looking  into  the  unique  advantages  of  Drone  technologies  in  agriculture,  the Department  of  Agriculture  &  Farmers  Welfare  has  released  the  Standard  Operating Procedures (SOPs) for use of drones in pesticide and nutrient application.

In order to make drone technology affordable to the farmers and other stakeholders of  this  sector,  financial  assistance  @  100  %  cost  of  drone  together  with  the  contingent expenditure is extended under Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM) to the Farm Machinery Training & Testing Institutes, Institutions of Indian Council of Agricultural Research,  KrishiVigyan  Kendra  (KVK)  and  State  Agricultural  Universities  (SAUs)  for  its demonstration  on  the  farmer's  fields.  Farmers  Producers  Organizations  (FPOs)  are provided grants @ 75% for purchase of drones for its demonstration on the farmers' fields. In order to provide agricultural services through drone application, financial assistance @ 40% of the basic cost of drone and its attachments or Rs.4 lakhs, whichever less is also provided for drone purchase by existing and new Custom Hiring Centers (CHCs) under Cooperative  Society  of  Farmers,  Farmers  Producer  Organizations  (FPOs) and  Rural entrepreneurs.  The  agriculture  graduates  establishing  CHCs  are  eligible  to  receive financial assistance @ 50% of the cost of drone up to a maximum Rs.5.00 lakhs.Through these initiatives, it has been envisaged that the use of drones in agriculture will provide ample opportunities to provide employment to people in rural areas.

*****