Namo Drone Didi: Rs 1261 Crore Outlay, 15,000 Drones - What's The Scheme All About?

The Namo Drone Didi Scheme is a scheme that aims to provide drones to the Women Self Help Groups (SHGs) with an outlay of Rs. 1261 Crores for the period from 2023-24 to 2025-26.

This is a central sector scheme approved by the government to strengthen women's SHGs.

Details Of The Scheme

Under the scheme, a total of 15,000 drones are targeted to be supplied. Out of these drones, the Lead Fertilizer Companies (LFCs) have procured the first 500 drones in 2023-24, using their internal resources and distributed to the selected SHGs.

In the financial year 2024-25, the scheme has targeted 3,090 drones to SHGs in the first phase.

The scheme is being implemented by converging the resources of Department of Agriculture & Farmer's Welfare (DA&FW), Department of Rural Development (DoRD) as well as the Department of Fertilizers (DoF).

"The Committee at State level  with members drawn from various line Departments and institutions 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 government said in a statement.

The drones are going to be supplied in a package, which also includes mandatory drone pilot training and additional training for agriculture purpose for nutrient and pesticide application for one of the members of these women SHGs.

There are also provisions to train other family members of the SHGs as drone assistant.

The detailed operational guidelines o0f the scheme have been issued by the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare.

Objective Of The Scheme

The scheme aims at providing business and livelihood support to SHGs and the drones are to be used by them to provide rental services to the farmers for spraying of liquid fertilizers & pesticides. This will consequently promote the use of Nano fertilizers by the drones to provide business to SHGs.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Shri Ram Nath Thakur in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.