Several tech-savvy Dalit Bandhu beneficiaries are scripting inspirational success stories by leveraging drone technology to break the shackles of poverty and achieve financial self-reliance in Khammam district’s Chintakani mandal.
From being an autorickshaw driver, who used to earn around ₹600 to ₹700 per day, 45-year-old Saidulu of Thirlapuram nine months ago, has now turned into a most sought-after drone sprayer operator earning a handsome income of around ₹60,000 per month.
Saidulu is among 28 Dalit Bandhu beneficiaries in Chintakani mandal harnessing the potential of drones for spraying pesticides and proving their mettle in the tech-driven entrepreneurial endeavour
The transformation has been brought about by the Telangana government’s flagship Dalit Bandhu scheme for the socio-economic development of Dalits.
In saturation mode, financial assistance of ₹10 lakh per SC family (one-time 100% grant/subsidy) has been extended to 3,462 Dalits under the Dalit Bandhu scheme in the Chintakani mandal.
The scheme has helped the beneficiaries set up income-generating units of their choice across various sectors, including Agriculture and allied segments.
“The drone sprayer is proving to be an effective tool in augmenting my income and extending the pesticide spraying services to farmers of not only Khammam district but also the neighbouring mandals in Andhra Pradesh’s Krishna district,” says Saidulu.
Speaking to The Hindu , he said, ”I charge ₹500 to spray pesticide per acre using the drone. It is fetching me ₹2,000 per day on average during the prime agricultural season.”
The Dalit Bandhu scheme has not only helped me set up the unit but also undergo training in the operation of the drone sprayers, he noted.
Precision spraying technology
Drone sprayer services are the most sought after due to the precision with which the device sprays pesticide on paddy, cotton and other crops, asserts Prabhakar, a Dalit Bandhu beneficiary of Mathkepalli in the same mandal.
It saves time and reduces the quantity of pesticide used compared to manual spraying. Above all, it helps overcome the shortage of farm labourers, he says, adding that his son and daughter-in-law turned drone sprayer operators.
Local-demand driven
The units set up under the Dalit Bandhu scheme are local demand-driven, and the entrepreneurial skills of the beneficiaries have made the enterprises successful, says Khammam Collector V.P. Gautham. Usage of drones for spraying pesticides helps avoid the risk of getting exposed to hazardous chemicals.
Flexibility and skill development are the unique features of the scheme which catapulted the beneficiaries into successful entrepreneurs in Chintakani mandal, he says. The success stories of Chintakani will be replicated elsewhere in the district, he adds.
The drone sprayer is proving to be an effective tool in augmenting my income and extending the pesticide spraying services to farmers of not only Khammam district but also the neighbouring mandals in Andhra Pradesh’s Krishna district
Saidulu
Drone sprayer operator
