Govt Boosts Farming with Tech, Drones & Digital Mission
New Delhi, April 4 — In a major push to modernize Indian agriculture, the Central Government is implementing several schemes aimed at enhancing mechanization, digitization, and soil health management, according to a written reply by Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Shri Ramnath Thakur in the Rajya Sabha today.
The ‘Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization’ (SMAM), a centrally sponsored component under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), is being executed through State Governments. It offers financial assistance to farmers for purchasing agricultural machinery, including post-harvest equipment, and supports the creation of Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs) and Village Level Farm Machinery Banks (FMBs). SMAM also promotes the use of kisan drones by funding demonstrations, individual ownership, and drone CHCs.
Complementing this, the Central Government has launched the ‘NAMO Drone Didi’ scheme to empower Women Self Help Groups (SHGs). The scheme aims to distribute 15,000 drones between 2023-24 and 2025-26, enabling sustainable business opportunities for women. So far, 1,094 drones have been distributed in 2023-24, with 500 under the scheme. The rest are targeted for distribution by FY 2025-26.
Additionally, the Digital Agriculture Mission, approved in September 2024 with an outlay of ₹2,817 crore, aims to build a robust digital ecosystem for Indian agriculture. The initiative supports the development of digital public infrastructure like Agristack, the Krishi Decision Support System, and a Comprehensive Soil Fertility Map. An AI-powered chatbot, ‘Kisan e-Mitra’, has also been launched to assist farmers with queries, including those related to the PM-Kisan scheme.
Research institutions under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) are contributing by developing precision farming technologies such as smart sprayers, robotic harvesters, and AI-based disease detection tools. These innovations aim to improve efficiency in pesticide application and crop management.
Meanwhile, the Soil Health & Fertility Scheme, launched in 2014-15, has generated over 24.9 crore Soil Health Cards (SHCs) as of March 31, 2025. These cards help farmers optimize fertilizer use based on soil analysis. To support this, the government has established over 8,000 soil testing labs across the country and trained over 70,000 Krishi Sakhis to assist farmers.
The government’s multi-pronged approach reflects its commitment to enhancing productivity, sustainability, and livelihood opportunities in Indian agriculture through technology and innovation.
