Why in News?
- The Namo Drone Didi Scheme empowers women self-help groups (SHGs) by providing subsidized drones for agricultural services like pesticide spraying. It's generating news due to recent government approvals, implementations, and expansions.
Key Information & Benefits
- Primary Objective: To equip 15,000 women-led SHGs with drones between 2024-25 and 2025-26 to provide precision agricultural services like pesticide and fertilizer spraying.
- Financial Assistance:
- 80% Subsidy: The government provides a subsidy of up to 80% of the drone's cost, capped at ₹8 lakh.
- Low-Interest Loans: The remaining 20% can be financed through the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) with a 3% interest subvention.
- Comprehensive Training:
- 15-Day Program: One SHG member receives 5 days of mandatory DGCA-compliant pilot training and 10 days of agricultural application training.
- Technical Support: An additional member or family member is trained as a drone assistant for repairs and maintenance.
- Income Generation: The scheme aims to generate an additional annual income of at least ₹1 lakh for each participating SHG.
- Agricultural Efficiency: Drones can cover one acre in 7-8 minutes, reducing water usage by up to 90% and pesticide wastage by 30-40% compared to traditional methods.
- Nodal Agency: Managed by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare in collaboration with the Department of Rural Development and Lead Fertilizer Companies (LFCs).
Eligibility Criteria
- Must be a women-led Self-Help Group registered under DAY-NRLM.
- The group should ideally be linked to agricultural activities and located in clusters where drone usage is economically feasible.
- Selected members must undergo mandatory pilot certification training.
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