In a major push towards digitizing agricultural reforms, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare on Tuesday, July 08, 2025, organised a national workshop in New Delhi to roll out Version 2.0 of the Centralized Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) Platform and review the progress of the NaMo Drone Didi Yojana. The high-level event was attended by key officials, including Dr. Devesh Chaturvedi, Secretary, DA&FW, who inaugurated the workshop and unveiled crop-specific Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for drone-based application of nutrients.
The SOPs are aimed at ensuring uniform, safe, and efficient use of drones in agriculture, providing scientific guidelines for the application of fertilizers and pesticides via drone technology. These standards are expected to play a crucial role in bringing consistency to drone operations across the country.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Chaturvedi highlighted the role of digital platforms in driving transparency and efficiency in agricultural subsidy distribution. He highlighted that the upgraded DBT portal, along with the new Drone Portal under the NaMo Drone Didi scheme, would resolve long-standing challenges such as subsidy delays and manual processing bottlenecks.
The NaMo Drone Didi Yojana is a flagship initiative aimed at empowering rural women by training members of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) to operate agricultural drones. These women will be equipped to use drones for spraying fertilizers and crop protection chemicals, opening up new livelihood opportunities and addressing the growing need for precision agriculture.
The newly developed Drone Portal was presented to states for review. It includes features for real-time tracking of drone operations, pilot training modules, and certification management. A comprehensive dashboard will allow all stakeholders, from government agencies to farmers, to monitor activities and ensure accountability.
The workshop also featured live demonstrations of both the DBT Platform 2.0 and the Drone Didi portal, giving state officials a hands-on understanding of the improved user interface and workflow. Officials from several states shared feedback and field experiences, which the Ministry said would be instrumental in refining the systems and ensuring smoother implementation of agricultural mechanisation schemes.
The upgraded platforms are expected to address critical challenges such as subsidy delays and lack of transparency, thereby enhancing service delivery for small and marginal farmers while promoting greater participation of women in modern agricultural practices.
