New Delhi: The use of drones in agriculture has distinct advantages like increased efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and proper use of fertilizers and pesticides, Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Ramnath Thakur said.
The government has approved a central sector scheme for providing drones to Women Self Help Groups (SHGs) with an outlay of Rs 1261 Crores for the period from 2023-24 to 2025-26. This aims to provide drones to 15000 selected SHGs on a rental basis to farmers for agriculture purposes (application of fertilizers and pesticides).
The use of drones helps the agriculture sector with distinct advantages like increased efficiency, cost-effectiveness due to reduction in the cost of spraying, saving of fertilizers and pesticides because of a high degree of atomization, saving of water due to ultra-low volume spraying, besides reduction of human exposure to hazardous chemicals, the minister said.
As per information, provisions have been made under the scheme to train one of the members of women SHG which includes five days of mandatory drone pilot training and an additional ten days of training on the operation of drones for spraying nutrients and pesticides. Other SHG members or family members with a penchant for the repair of electrical items, fittings and mechanical works will be trained as drone assistants.