In order to promote the use of drone technology in agriculture, the government has taken several steps which include financial assistance @ 100% of the cost of agriculture drone up to a maximum of Rs. 10 lakhs per drone for purchase of drones by institutes.
Those eligible for this largess are institutes under Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), State Agriculture Universities (SAUs), State and other Central Government Agricultural Institutions/Departments and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) of Government of India engaged in agricultural activities. The Farmers Producers Organizations (FPOs) are provided grants up to 75% of the cost of agriculture drone for its demonstrations on the farmers’ fields.
In order to make drone services available to farmers on rental basis, financial assistance @ 40% up to a maximum of Rs. 4.00 lakhs are provided for purchase of drones by Custom Hiring Centers under Cooperative Society of Farmers, FPOs and Rural entrepreneurs.
A contingency expenditure of Rs.6000 per hectare is provided to implementing agencies that do not want to purchase drones but will hire drones for demonstrations from Custom Hiring Centres, Hi-tech Hubs, Drone Manufacturers and Start-Ups.
Agriculture graduates establishing Custom Hiring Centers are eligible to receive financial assistance @ 50% of the cost of drone up to a maximum of Rs.5.00 lakhs per drone.
For individual purchase of drones, the Small and Marginal, Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe, Women and North Eastern State farmers are provided financial assistance @ 50% of the cost up to a maximum of Rs. 5.00 lakhs and other farmers @ 40% up to a maximum of Rs. 4.00 lakhs.
Funds amounting to Rs. 52.50 Crores have been released to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) for taking up large-scale demonstration of drone technology on the farmers’ fields in the country through 100 Kishi Vigyan Kendras, 75 institutions under ICAR and 25 State Agricultural Universities.
Funds amounting to Rs. 70.88 Crores have also been released to various State Governments for demonstration, providing subsidy to the farmers and establishment of Custom Hiring Centres for providing drone services to the farmers.
This information was given by the Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar in a written reply in Rajya Sabha.
In his reply the Minister said that the use of drone in agriculture is helpful to farmers as it have some distinct advantages such as high field capacity and efficiency, less turnaround time and other field operational delays, wastage reduction of pesticide and fertilizers due to high degree of atomization, water saving due to ultra-low volume spraying technology in comparison to traditional spraying methods, reduction in cost of spraying and fertilizer application in comparison to conventional methods etc. besides reduction of human exposure to hazardous chemicals.