Lok Sabha Question No. 1582 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-29
Subject: Implementation of Drone Didi Scheme
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Parshottambhai Rupala

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1582

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 29 TH  JULY 2025

## IMPLEMENTATION OF DRONE DIDI SCHEME

1582.  SHRI PARSHOTTAMBHAI RUPALA:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष एवं िकसान कʞाण मंũी 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 क ृ िष एवं िकसान कʞाण राǛ मंũी (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 trained as 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 transportationrelated 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.

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 |

## 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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