The Mechanisation and Technology Division of the Department of Agriculture Cooperation and Farmers Welfare, held a regional review meeting on August 23 and 24, 2024, in Coimbatore on the Sub Mission on Agricultural Mechanisation (SMAM) and the Namo Drone Didi schemes.
The meeting, which had participants from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Puducherry, was chaired by Joint Secretary S. Rukmani of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. It focused on assessing and improving the adoption of agricultural mechanisation practices in the southern States.
Ms. Rukmani highlighted the importance of Agricultural Machinery Custom Hiring Centres (CHC) and Farm Machinery Banks (FMB), aimed at supporting small and marginal farmers who cannot afford expensive machinery.
The team commended the Uzhavar App developed by the Tamil Nadu government and the State representatives collectively advocated for the separation of the SMAM from the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY)-Umbrella scheme.
Regarding the Namo Drone Didi scheme, the team encouraged States to carefully select clusters for drone deployment, identify progressive cluster-level federations and women Self Help Groups (SHGs) under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM) for drone operations, and create business opportunities for select women SHGs in collaboration with lead fertiliser companies and pesticide manufacturers.
The meeting concluded with a field visit to Thondamuthur block, where officials inspected solar fencing and solar drier units installed on fields.