Tamil Nadu government has announced that drone equipment will be provided to farmers as a subsidy. In order to solve the shortage of laborers in agriculture and farmers can carry out cultivation work on time and increase the crop production capacity, the tamil Nadu government is providing various types of agricultural machinery and tools to the farmers as a subsidy under the Agricultural Mechanization Program. In this scheme, in the current year, in all the districts except Chennai, providing subsidized agricultural machinery and tools to individual farmers, setting up subsidized agricultural machinery and tools rental centers, etc., have been implemented at a cost of 50 crore rupees in the first phase, and currently 70 crore rupees have been released for the second phase. Accordingly, under the Agricultural Mechanization Sub-Operation Scheme, modern agricultural tools like drones are also being provided in subsidy to carry out tasks such as pesticide spraying, pest and disease monitoring. In the current financial year 2023-24, under the Agricultural Machinery and Tools Subsidy Scheme for individual farmers, small, micro, Adi Dravidian, women farmers who want to purchase drones will get 50 percent subsidy or a maximum subsidy amount of Rs. five lakh and other farmers will get 40 percent subsidy or a maximum subsidy amount of Rs. An amount of four lakh rupees is given. Also, an additional 20 percent subsidy is provided from the state government funds to the small and marginal farmers belonging to Adi Dravidar and tribal divisions.
Government of tamil Nadu has informed that agricultural machinery and tools along with the required agricultural machinery and equipment can be obtained under subsidy in district and village level agricultural machinery rental centers set up under subsidy by agricultural groups, cooperative societies, farmer producer organizations and rural youth.
Also, 40 percent or up to four lakh rupees is given as subsidy for buying additional drones in agricultural machinery rental centers already set up by rural youth, cooperative societies and farmer producer organizations under government subsidy.
Agriculture graduates who wish to set up an agricultural machinery rental center with drones or purchase drones from already established agricultural machinery rental centers/hi-tech rental centers are given a subsidy of 50 percent of the base cost of the drones or five lakh rupees whichever is less.
The farmers who get the drone in subsidy can get the training and get the license to operate the drone or it can be operated by the youth who have already received the training and license. Farmers who get bank loans to buy drones are given a three percent interest subsidy from the Agricultural Infrastructure Fund.
Two models from two drone companies have been approved in tamil Nadu. Farmers can choose the ones they like. Farmers who are willing to purchase drone equipment are requested to register through the website https://mts.aed.tn.gov.in/evaadagai/ and avail the subsidy as per the appropriate procedures.
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