The ruling Government has put in place a number of scientific initiatives for the betterment of agriculture, as a number of people of the country are associated with it and earning their livelihood from the same. One such major initiative is Kissan Drones, which are expected to give a major boom to the sector. As informed by the Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar in Lok Sabha, various provisions have been made for promotion of Kissan Drones, under the guidelines of Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM). Financial assistance @ 100 per cent of the cost of drone up to a maximum of Rs. 10 lakh per drone is provided for purchase of drones for their demonstration by institutes under Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Farm Machinery Training & Testing Institutes, 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 per cent of the cost of agriculture drone for its demonstrations on the farmers’ fields. A contingency expenditure of Rs 6000 per hectare is provided to these implementing agencies that do not want to purchase drones but will hire drones for demonstrations from Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs), Hi-tech Hubs, Drone Manufacturers and Start-Ups. The contingent expenditure to implementing agencies that purchases drones for drone demonstrations is limited to Rs 3000 per hectare. In order to make available drone services to farmers on rental basis, financial assistance @ 40 per cent up to a maximum of Rs 4 lakh are provided for purchase of drones by CHCs under Cooperative Society of Farmers, FPOs and Rural entrepreneurs. Agriculture graduates establishing CHCs are eligible to receive financial assistance @ 50 per cent of the cost of drone up to a maximum of Rs 5 lakh per drone. For purchase of drones on individual ownership basis, the Small and Marginal, Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe, Women and North Eastern State farmers are provided financial assistance @ 50 per cent of the cost up to a maximum of Rs 5 lakh and other farmers @ 40 per cent up to a maximum of Rs 4 lakh. Based on the proposals received so far, the funds amounting to Rs. 129.19 crore have been released towards Kissan Drone promotion which includes Rs. 52.50 crore released to the ICAR for purchase of 300 Kissan Drones and organizing their demonstrations on the farmers’ fields in 75000 hectares through 100 KVKs, 75 ICAR institutions and 25 SAUs. It also includes funds released to various State Governments for supply of more than 240 Kissan Drone to farmers on subsidy and establishment of more than 1500 Kissan Drone CHCs to provide drone services to the farmers. ICAR in their demonstration project included four SAUs, two ICAR Institutes and five KVKs of the Gujarat State and a total of 13 Kissan Drones have been sanctioned to them. The State of Gujarat has so far not submitted any proposal towards Kissan Drone subsidy and establishment of Kissan Drone CHCs under SMAM. The use of drone 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. Scientific studies are carried out and data supporting the drone application are generated. Pilot studies with different approaches like use of remote sensing technology including satellite data and drone based images especially for crop cutting experiments planning, direct yield estimation at Gram Panchayat level, risk mapping of district and for dispute/area discrepancy resolution etc. have been conducted through Mahalanobis National Crop Forecasting Centre (MNCFC). Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) which provide concise instructions for effective and safe operations of drones for pesticide and nutrient application have been released. The awareness among farmers is being created through demonstration and capacity building programmes.
