Agri institutes to get Rs 10 lakhs grant to purchase drones

The government of India is making all efforts to popularize the use of Drone technology in various sectors. Besides, making the drone policy liberal, it is also trying to make its use attractive by offering various grant schemes.

In this regard, the Ministry of Agriculture has announced a scheme under which it is offering grants up to Rs 10 lakh to purchase drones by agriculture institutes. The purpose is to popularize the use of drones in the farming sector.

The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare said in a press statement, “In a major boost to promote precision farming in India, the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has issued guidelines to make drone technology affordable to the stakeholders of this sector.”

“The guidelines of “Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization” (SMAM) have been amended which envisages granting up to 100% of the cost of agriculture drone or Rs. 10 lakhs, whichever is less, as a grant for the purchase of drones by the Farm Machinery Training & Testing Institutes, ICAR institutes, Krishi Vigyan Kendras and State Agriculture Universities for taking up large scale demonstrations of this technology on the farmers’ fields,” it added.

The Farmers Producers Organizations (FPOs) can get grants up to 75 per cent of the cost of agriculture drones for their demonstrations on the farmers’ fields.

“A contingency expenditure of Rs 6000 per hectare would be 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,” the Ministry said.