Kisan Drone Suvidha has added a new chapter to modern agricultural facilities that are being used in India and it will revolutionize Indian agriculture and ensure the country’s food security.
Realizing the collective vision of “Aatama Nirbhar Krishi” under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Department of Agriculture has brought out a Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for using of drone to spray pesticides for crop protection and spraying nutrients for soil and crop.
In order to make this technology affordable to the farmers and other stakeholders of this sector, financial assistance upto 100 % cost of drone or Rs. 10 lakhs, whichever is less, as grant for purchase of drones, together with the contingent expenditure, is being extended to Institute of Indian Council of Agricultural Research, state Agriculture Universities, Krishi Vigyan Kendra under Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM) for its demonstration on the farmer’s fields.
The Farmers Producers Organizations (FPOs) too would be eligible to receive grants up to 75% of the cost of agricultural drone.
In order to provide agricultural services through drone application, financial assistance at the rate of 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, FPOs and Rural entrepreneurs. The agriculture graduates who want to establish CHCs are eligible to receive financial assistance at 50% or up to Rs.5 lakhs.
Recently Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually launched 100 Made in India agricultural drones across the country, which carried out farm operations in unique simultaneous flights. The PM labelled it a “milestone” for Indian agriculture which will boost farmers’ income and further it will create new job opportunities.
The use of Kisan Drones will be promoted for crop assessment, digitization of land records and spraying of insecticides and nutrients. Thermal cameras mounted on these drones will be used in finding wet and dry patches. This will help farmers avoid wastage of water and it will also help in collecting, recording and monitoring environmental data, which will help in smart farming.
Kisan Drone will also usher in a new edge revolution as high capacity drones will be used to carry vegetables, fruits, fishes to the market directly from the farms. Kisan Drones, in the past, have been used in the ‘Swamitva Yojana’ to create a record of land ownership in villages and transporting medicines and vaccines.
The Author is a national co-incharge IT, Social media