Lok Sabha Question No. 1554 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-29
Subject: Features of Namo Drone Didi Yojana
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Brijmohan Agrawal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE & FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE & FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1554 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 29 TH  JULY 2025

## FEATURES OF NAMO DRONE DIDI YOJANA

1554.  SHRI BRIJMOHAN AGRAWAL:

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

- (a) the salient features of Namo Drone Didi Yojana;
- (b) the State-wise list of budget sanctioned by the Government;
- (c) the number of beneficiaries of this scheme i.e. women who have been given this training for the year 2024-25;
- (d) the  manner  in  which  such  clusters,  where  there  is  demand  for  drones  for  providing agricultural services; and
- (e) the details of such clusters in all States and Union Territories including Chhattisgarh?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ͪष एवं ͩकसान कãयाण राÏय मंğी (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 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.

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. 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 State-wise distribution of 1094 drones is attached at Annexure -I.

O.I.H.

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. The  suggested  broad  criteria  for selection  of  clusters  by  the  State  Level  Committee  include  cluster  10-15  villages  /  Gram Panchayats, Contiguous area of 1000 - 1200 Ha under  crops  like Cotton, Paddy, Sugarcane, Chillies,  Wheat,  Orchards,  Plantations  etc.,  Clusters  with  large  FPO,  Clusters  with  Large Irrigated area and Clusters with more fertilizer and pesticide consumption.

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   | Total            |                        1094 |                                                1094 |

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