Indian project proposals are buzzing with drones and agriculture is rightly intended to be one the biggest beneficiaries. But rather than spraying pesticide, fertiliser and water efficiently as envisaged, the states are increasingly using them for surveillance. While West Bengal is using drone-cams to spot cannabis plantations, Haryana now wants to use them to spy on stubble-burning. Meanwhile, the Union agriculture ministry told Parliament last month that Namo Drone Didi, the ₹1,261-crore scheme launched in November 2023 with the aim of arming 15,000 women’s self-help groups with drones, had given out only 1,094 of them till records had been gathered. All other states should learn from Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Maharashtra, which lead in using drones for farming. Otherwise, the grand ideas will remain pies in the sky.
