Mahindra & Mahindra has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) to support the Drone Didi Yojna, an initiative launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi aimed at training women to become proficient drone pilots.
The partnership between Mahindra and MSDE will kick off with two pilot programmes set to take place at the National Skill Training Institutes (NSTI), situated in Hyderabad and Noida. These pilots will aim to skill 500 women in batches of 20 each.
Approved by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the 15-day curriculum will be delivered at these centres by instructors from Remote Pilot Training Organisations (RPTO), as highlighted by the company.
Dr. Anish Shah, Group CEO and MD of Mahindra Group, said in a statement, “The pilot under the Drone Didi Yojana represents a first-of-its-kind convergence of women, farming, and technology. We are delighted to provide technology training to grassroots women and ensure that agriculture is equipped for the future.”
The overarching goal of the programme is to train 15,000 women to operate drones for various agricultural purposes, including fertiliser sowing, crop monitoring, and seed sowing.
Atul Kumar Tiwari, Secretary of MSDE, emphasised the Drone Didi programme's alignment with their mission to upskill women for nation-building, particularly through empowering them in emerging trades like drone operations.
The insights and results derived from the pilot project will serve as a foundation for scaling up the Drone Didi Yojana across identified NSTIs or ITIs nationwide, according to Tiwari.
Mahindra further pledged its commitment to the Drone Didi Yojana by announcing plans to extend this training initiative for women at its skilling centres in Zaheerabad, Telangana, and Nagpur, Maharashtra.
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