Dr. Abhilaksh Likhi, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare said that the drone technology in agriculture has a tremendous potential in increasing consistency and efficiency of crop management, besides reducing the cost and also reducing the human exposure to hazardous working conditions.
In the Union Budget 2022-23, the Government has already announced that the use of Kisan Drones will be promoted for crop assessment, digitization of land records, spraying of insecticides and nutrients.
He visited the SRFMT&TI Anantapur on 08.04.2022 and attended a Drone demonstration with farmers. Looking into the unique advantages of Drone technologies in agriculture, the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, (Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare) has brought out Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for use of drones in pesticide and nutrient application that provides concise instructions for effective and safe operations of drones.
To promote use of drones in agriculture and make drone technology affordable to the farmers and other stakeholders of this sector, financial assistance @ 100 % cost of drone together with the contingent expenditure is extended under Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM) to the Farm Machinery Training & Testing Institutes, Institutions of Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) and State Agricultural Universities (SAUs) for its demonstration on the farmer’s fields.
Farmers Producers Organizations (FPOs) are provided grants @ 75% for purchase of drones for its demonstration on the farmers’ fields. In order to provide agricultural services through drone application, financial assistance @ 40% of the basic cost of drone and its attachments or Rs.4 lakhs, whichever less is also provided for drone purchase by existing and new Custom Hiring Centers (CHCs) under Cooperative Society of Farmers, Farmers Producer Organizations (FPOs) and Rural entrepreneurs. The agriculture graduates establishing CHCs are eligible to receive financial assistance @ 50% of the cost of drone up to a maximum Rs.5.00 lakhs.
The subsidized purchase of agriculture drones for CHCs/Hi-tech Hubs will make the technology affordable to them, resulting in their widespread adoption. This would make drones more accessible to the common man in India and will also significantly encourage domestic drone production.
