The Government of India (GoI) has approved the Central Sector Scheme ‘Namo Drone Didi’ for providing Drones to the Women Self Help Groups (SHGs) under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), with an outlay of Rs 1261 Crores.
- This aims to provide drones to 14500 selected Women SHGs during the period from 2024-25 to 2025-2026 to provide rental services to farmers for agricultural purposes like the application of liquid fertilizers and pesticides for the present.
- The Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare(DA&FW), under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare(MoA&FW) has released the Operational Guidelines for this scheme.
Major Components of the Operational Guidelines:
i.Namo Drone Didi will be governed at the Central level by the Empowered Committee of the Secretaries of DA&FW; Department of Rural Development(DRD), Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD); Department of Fertilizers(DoF), Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers (MoC&F); Ministry of Civil Aviation(MoCA) and Ministry of Women and Child Development(MoWCD).
ii.The Implementation and Monitoring Committee will be headed by Caralyn Khongwar Deshmukh, Additional Secretary, MoRD. The committee will have representation from all other stakeholders.
- The committee will be responsible for effective planning, implementation and monitoring of the scheme and it will provide overall advice and guidance to all technical matters related to the implementation of the scheme.
iii.Under the scheme, Central Financial Assistance at 80% of the cost of drone and accessories/ancillary charges up to a maximum of Rs 8 lakhs will be provided to the women SHGs for purchase of drones as a package.
iv.The Cluster Level Federations (CLFs) of SHGs may raise the balance amount (total cost of procurement minus subsidy) as a loan under the National Agriculture Infra Financing Facility (AIF). Interest subvention at 3% per annum on the AIF loan will be provided to the CLFs/SHGs.
v.The CLFs/SHGs shall also have the option to access loans from other sources/programmes/schemes of the Ministry of Rural Development.
vi.One of the members of the women SHGs will be selected for 15-day training comprising mandatory drone pilot training and additional training for agriculture purposes for nutrient and pesticide application.
vii.The Lead Fertilizer Companies (LFCs) responsible for the States will be the implementing agencies of the scheme at the State level and they will establish necessary coordination with the State Departments, Drone manufacturers, Cluster Level Federations of SHGs/SHGs and the farmers/beneficiaries etc.
viii.The State Departments of Agriculture & State Mission Directors of DAY-NRLM will have a convergence.
ix.The scheme will be monitored through an Information Technology(IT)-based Management Information System (MIS) i.e. Drone Portal which will act as end-to-end software for service delivery and monitoring, funds flow and disbursement of funds.
x.The portal will also track the operations of each drone and provide live information on drone usage.
xi.This will envisage the initiatives under the scheme will provide sustainable business and livelihood support to SHGs and they would be able to earn additional income for them.
About Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare(MoA&FW):
Union Minister– Shivraj Singh Chouhan(Constituency- Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh, MP)
Minister of State(MoS)– Ram Nath Thakur(Rajya Sabha- Bihar)
