Women Empowered! Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana Takes Drones to Self-Help Groups

Announced as a significant move, part of the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana towards empowering rural women economically, this scheme aims to leverage drone technology for agricultural purposes over the next two years. 

Let us read more about this scheme for rural development and understand how it pushes women’s empowerment and nation-building simultaneously.

Provide Livelihood Support Through Accessible Drone Services

Under the scheme, 15,000 progressive women self-help groups (SHGs) will be provided financial assistance to acquire new drones. Each SHG will receive 80% of the total drone cost, up to a ceiling of Rs. 8 lakh. This will allow them to own drones that can then be rented out to local farmers for agricultural and horticultural activities. 

The drone services are expected to be used for nano-fertiliser and pesticide spraying. Revenue from renting out the drones is estimated to generate an additional annual income of over Rs. 1 lakh per SHG. This will offer sustainable livelihoods while supporting farmers through modern tools that boost farm yields. 

Skill Development And Job Opportunities 

To ensure effective operations, one member per SHG will be given mandatory drone pilot training for 15 days. This includes a 5-day certification course and 10 days of practical instruction focused on agricultural uses. Another member will receive technical training to assist pilots.

Upon completion, drone pilots will earn an honorary sum of Rs. 15,000 monthly. Co-pilots stand to gain Rs. 10,000 per month. This presents job opportunities that employ rural women's skills while allowing them independence through new income streams.

Optimise Agriculture Through Advanced Technology 

It is anticipated the scheme will help accelerate the application of cutting-edge technology within India's farm sector. Drones can efficiently conduct operations like spraying fertilisers and pesticides across vast land areas in a short span, as against traditional methods. 

Moreover, drones enable precise application of inputs, ensuring optimal usage. This leads to increased crop yields alongside cost savings for cultivators from reduced manual labour and input wastage. The improved agriculture practices are likely to benefit farmers nationwide.

Promote Women's Entrepreneurship On A Large Scale

Notably, the scheme targets engaging a huge number of 15,000 SHGs across the country over two years. This vast scale aims to boost self-employment and entrepreneurship amongst rural women on a transformational level. 

By creating an ecosystem of locally available drone services, the initiative empowers women economically as business owners. It also spurs greater participation and leadership of SHGs in their communities. This ties into the government's focus on women-led development through grassroots programmes.

Conclusion

The new drone scheme is a welcome step toward deploying emerging technologies for social good. 

By skillfully leveraging drones, the initiative generates sustainable livelihoods while assisting agriculture. It could serve as a model for future collaborative efforts between private stakeholders and self-help networks if successful. Most importantly, the programme empowers thousands of women as entrepreneurial job providers and community leaders.

Readers can access the Press Information Bureau’s official press release regarding Drones to Self Help Groups [here](https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1988271#:~:text=The Government of India has,application of fertilizers and pesticides).).