Lok Sabha Question No. 3804 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-12
Subject: Implementation of Namo Drone Didi Scheme
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Smt. Bharti Pardhi, Shri Bhausaheb Rajaram Wakchaure, Shri Omprakash Bhupalsinh Alias Pavan Rajenimbalkar, Shri Bajrang Manohar Sonwane, Shri Shrirang Appa Chandu Barne

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3804

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 12 TH  AUGUST, 2025

## IMPLEMENTATION OF NAMO DRONE DIDI SCHEME

3804.  SHRI SHRIRANG APPA CHANDU BARNE: SHRI BAJRANG MANOHAR SONWANE: SHRI BHAUSAHEB RAJARAM WAKCHAURE: SHRI OMPRAKASH BHUPALSINH ALIAS PAVAN RAJENIMBALKAR: SMT. BHARTI PARDHI:

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" and the policy of the Government on it;
- (b)  the number of women self-help-groups who have Drones under the "Namo Drone Didi" scheme, especially in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra;
- (c)  the current numbers thereof, State-wise and district-wise, particularly ShirdiAhmednagar Lok Sabha constituency and aspirational districts;
- (d)  whether "Namo Drone Didi" is proposed to be integrated with other relevant schemes to maximize its impact on rural livelihoods and agricultural productivity;
- (e)  if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (f) whether coordination has been made among the Ministry of Agriculture and  Farmers Welfare,  Ministry  of  Rural  Development  and  Department  of  Fertilizers  for  effective implementation of the said scheme;
- (g)  if so, the details thereof; and
- (h)  the increase in average income likely to occur as a result of the said integration?

## ANSWER

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

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 for providing rental services to farmers for spraying Nano fertilizers. As per the information provided by the State Governments of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, 47 and 89 drones respectively have been distributed by the LFCs in the State of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. The district-wise details of the Maharashtra  and  Madhya  Pradesh  States  are  placed  at  Annexure-I  and  Annexure-II, respectively.

(d)  &  (e):  The  Namo  Drone  Didi  Scheme    specifically  targets  SHGs  promoted  under Deendayal  Antyodaya  Yojana  -  National  Rural  Livelihoods  Mission  (DAY-NRLM).  SHGs can  access  loans  from  Agriculture  Infrastructure  Fund  (AIF)  with  3  percent  interest subvention. Financial assistance for the purchase of multi-utility machines is provided under Sub-Mission  on  Agricultural  Mechanization  (SMAM),  which  are  also  used  for  drone transport.

(f)  &  (g):  The  Empowered  Committee  (EC)  of  the  scheme  consist  of  Secretaries  of  the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (DA&FW), Department of Rural Development (DoRD), Department of Fertilizers (DoF), Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoW&CD), which have all the powers to decide/modify scheme design during course of scheme implementation. EC is also the formulation body giving  overall  direction  and  guidance  to  scheme,  monitor  and  review  its  progress  and performance. The Implementation & Monitoring Committee with the members from all these line  Departments/Ministries  is  responsible  for  effective  planning,  implementation  and monitoring of the scheme and provide overall advice and guidance to all technical matters related to the implementation of the scheme. The Committee at State level  with members drawn from Department of Agriculture/Agricultural Engineering of the State, Rural Development,  State  Mission  Directorate  of  DAY-NRLM,  State  Cooperative  Department, Lead Banks/ National Bank for Agriculture & Rural Development (NABARD), representatives  of  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.

(h): The study conducted by Agricultural Development and Rural Transformation Centre (ADRTC),  Bangalore  indicate  that  the  drones  provided  by  the  LFCs  to  the  SHGs  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.

District-wise number of women SHGs in Maharashtra who have been provided drones by the Lead Fertilizer Companies

| S. No.   | Name of District of Maharashtra State   |   No. of SHGs provided with the Drones by LFCs |
|----------|-----------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
| 1.       | Ahmednagar                              |                                              3 |
| 2.       | Akola                                   |                                              2 |
| 3.       | Amravati                                |                                              1 |
| 4.       | Beed                                    |                                              3 |
| 5.       | Bhandara                                |                                              1 |
| 6.       | Buldhana                                |                                              1 |
| 7.       | Chandrapur                              |                                              1 |
| 8.       | Chatrapati Sambhaji Nagar               |                                              1 |
| 9.       | Dharashiv                               |                                              1 |
| 10.      | Dhule                                   |                                              2 |
| 11.      | Gadchiroli                              |                                              1 |
| 12.      | Hingoli                                 |                                              1 |
| 13.      | Jalgaon                                 |                                              1 |
| 14.      | Jalna                                   |                                              2 |
| 15.      | Kolhapur                                |                                              2 |
| 16.      | Latur                                   |                                              1 |
| 17.      | Nandurbar                               |                                              1 |
| 18.      | Nashik                                  |                                              3 |
| 19.      | Osmanabad                               |                                              2 |
| 20.      | Palghar                                 |                                              1 |
| 21.      | Parbhani                                |                                              2 |
| 22.      | Pune                                    |                                              3 |
| 23.      | Raigad                                  |                                              1 |
| 24.      | Sangli                                  |                                              3 |
| 25.      | Satara                                  |                                              3 |
| 26.      | Sindhudurg                              |                                              1 |
| 27.      | Solapur                                 |                                              1 |
| 28.      | Wardha                                  |                                              1 |
| 29.      | Washim                                  |                                              1 |
|          | Total                                   |                                             47 |

District-wise number of women SHGs in Madhya Pradesh who have been provided drones by the Lead Fertilizer Companies

| S. No.   | Name of District of Madhya Pradesh State   |   No. of SHGs provided with the Drones by LFCs |
|----------|--------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
| 1.       | Agar malwa                                 |                                              2 |
| 2.       | Alirajpur                                  |                                              1 |
| 3.       | Balaghat                                   |                                              1 |
| 4.       | Barwani                                    |                                              1 |
| 5.       | Betul                                      |                                              1 |
| 6.       | Bhind                                      |                                              2 |
| 7.       | Bhopal                                     |                                              1 |
| 8.       | Burhanpur                                  |                                              1 |
| 9.       | Chattarpur                                 |                                              1 |
| 10.      | Chhindwara                                 |                                              2 |
| 11.      | Damoh                                      |                                              1 |
| 12.      | Datia                                      |                                              2 |
| 13.      | Dewas                                      |                                              2 |
| 14.      | Dhar                                       |                                              2 |
| 15.      | Dindori                                    |                                              1 |
| 16.      | Guna                                       |                                              1 |
| 17.      | Gwalior                                    |                                              6 |
| 18.      | Indore                                     |                                              2 |
| 19.      | Jabalpur                                   |                                              1 |
| 20.      | Jhabua                                     |                                              1 |
| 21.      | Katni                                      |                                              3 |
| 22.      | Khandwa                                    |                                              4 |
| 23.      | Mandla                                     |                                              3 |
| 24.      | Morena                                     |                                              3 |
| 25.      | Narmadapuram                               |                                              2 |
| 26.      | Narsinghpur                                |                                              1 |
| 27.      | Panna                                      |                                              1 |
| 28.      | Raisen                                     |                                              7 |
| 29.      | Rajgarh                                    |                                              3 |
| 30.      | Ratlam                                     |                                              4 |
| 31.      | Rewa                                       |                                              2 |
| 32.      | Sagar                                      |                                              5 |
| 33.      | Satna                                      |                                              5 |
| 34.      | Sehore                                     |                                              3 |
| 35.      | Seoni                                      |                                              2 |
| 36.      | Shajapur                                   |                                              1 |
| 37.      | Sheopur                                    |                                              1 |
| 38.      | Shivpuri                                   |                                              1 |
| 39.      | Sidhi                                      |                                              1 |
| 40.      | Ujjain                                     |                                              3 |
| 41.      | Vidisha                                    |                                              2 |
|          | Total                                      |                                             89 |

*****