• Central Sector Scheme for the period of 2024 to 2026.
• To provide drones to 14,500 Women Self Help Groups (SHGs) for rental agricultural services (applying liquid fertilizers and pesticides)

• 80% of the cost (up to ₹8 lakh per drone), with remaining 20% to be financed through loans.
• Loans available under National Agriculture Infra Financing Facility (AIF) with 3% interest subvention; SHGs can also access loans from other Rural Development programs

• 15 days mandatory training for drone pilots.
• Additional training for drone assistants in repairs and maintenance.

• Lead Fertilizer Companies (LFCs) responsible for coordinating with State Departments, drone manufacturers, and SHGs.
• They will procure drones through a transparent process, with ownership placed with the Cluster Level Federations (CLFs) of SHGs or the SHGs themselves.

• Each SHG is expected to cover approximately 2,000-2,500 acres annually;
• IT-based Management Information System (MIS) – Drone Portal for tracking drone usage, fund disbursement, and monitoring service delivery

PYQ:

[2020] Consider the following activities:

1. Spraying pesticides on a crop field.
2. Inspecting the craters of active volcanoes.
3. Collecting breath samples from spouting whales for DNA analysis.

At the present level of technology, which of the above activities can be successfully carried out by using drones?

(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3