Namo Drone Didi Statistics 2026: Drones Given to Women SHGs by State
· 1 min read · 3 official sources
Lead Fertilizer Companies had given 1,094 agricultural drones to women Self Help Groups as of January 2026, of which 500 were supplied under the Namo Drone Didi scheme, according to the Agriculture Ministry. The scheme has an outlay of Rs 1,261 crore for 2023-24 to 2025-26. State-wise drone counts are below.
Namo Drone Didi: key numbers
Infographic
Top 15 states by drones given to women SHGs (January 2026)
Women SHGs given drones by Lead Fertilizer Companies, which is also the number of SHG members trained as drone pilots, in the 15 states with the most. This count includes drones from the companies' own resources as well as the scheme.
| State | SHGs given drones |
|---|---|
| Karnataka | 145 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 128 |
| Andhra Pradesh | 108 |
| Haryana | 102 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 89 |
| Telangana | 81 |
| Maharashtra | 60 |
| Gujarat | 58 |
| Punjab | 57 |
| Kerala | 51 |
| Tamil Nadu | 44 |
| Rajasthan | 40 |
| Bihar | 32 |
| Assam | 28 |
| Odisha | 16 |
Source: pib.gov.in, as on 31 January 2026
Top 15 states by drones under the Namo Drone Didi scheme
Women SHGs given drones under the Namo Drone Didi scheme itself, out of 500 in all, in the 15 states with the most, from a Lok Sabha reply of 24 March 2026.
| State | SHGs given drones |
|---|---|
| Andhra Pradesh | 96 |
| Karnataka | 82 |
| Telangana | 72 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 34 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 32 |
| Maharashtra | 30 |
| Punjab | 23 |
| Haryana | 22 |
| Rajasthan | 19 |
| Gujarat | 18 |
| Tamil Nadu | 17 |
| Chhattisgarh | 12 |
| Odisha | 12 |
| Assam | 9 |
| West Bengal | 7 |
Source: pib.gov.in, as on 24 March 2026
How a women SHG gets a drone
What the numbers show
Namo Drone Didi gives agricultural drones to women Self Help Groups so they can earn by spraying fertilisers and pesticides for farmers. According to the Agriculture Ministry, Lead Fertilizer Companies had given 1,094 drones to women SHGs by January 2026. Of these, 500 were supplied under the Namo Drone Didi scheme in 2023-24, and the rest came from the companies' own resources.
Scale against the plan
The scheme was approved with an outlay of Rs 1,261 crore for 2023-24 to 2025-26. Against that budget, the official figures so far show 500 drones supplied under the scheme itself, all of them in 2023-24. The Ministry has said a study by ADRTC, Bangalore on the first 500 drones found that the SHGs had taken up modern farm practices through drone services.
State differences
Drones are concentrated in the south and in a few large farm states. Under the scheme, Andhra Pradesh (96), Karnataka (82) and Telangana (72) lead by a wide margin. In the wider count including company drones, Karnataka (145), Uttar Pradesh (128), Andhra Pradesh (108) and Haryana (102) are ahead. Several states, including Goa, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand, have only one to three drones.
What the figures do not tell you
The official tables count SHGs given drones. They do not show how many acres each drone has sprayed or how much the SHGs earn. The counts are also from early 2026, so drones supplied after March 2026 are not included.
Where to check the numbers
The Ministry of Agriculture and the Department of Fertilizers answer Parliament questions on the scheme, published through PIB. The Lakhpati Didi portal of the Ministry of Rural Development also has a page on the scheme.
Frequently asked questions
How many drones have been given under Namo Drone Didi?
500 drones have been distributed under the Namo Drone Didi scheme by Lead Fertilizer Companies, according to a Lok Sabha reply of 24 March 2026. Counting drones the companies gave from their own resources, 1,094 drones had reached women SHGs by January 2026.
What is the budget of the Namo Drone Didi scheme?
The scheme was approved as a Central Sector Scheme with an outlay of Rs 1,261 crore for 2023-24 to 2025-26.
Which state has the most drone didis?
Karnataka had the most women SHGs with drones from fertilizer companies, 145 as of January 2026. Under the scheme itself, Andhra Pradesh leads with 96, followed by Karnataka with 82 and Telangana with 72.
How much subsidy does an SHG get for a drone?
The Centre pays 80 per cent of the cost of the drone and accessories, up to a maximum of Rs 8 lakh. The SHGs' Cluster Level Federation can raise the balance as a loan under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund with 3 per cent interest subvention.
Are the drone didis trained?
Yes. Every drone didi given a drone has been trained as a drone pilot at a Remote Pilot Training Organisation authorised by the DGCA, according to the Agriculture Ministry.
Eligibility, documents and how to apply: Namo Drone Didi full guide
Charts, data files and the infographic are free to download, share and embed with a link back to this page.
Sources
This guide was checked against these official pages:
- pib.gov.in (www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2227743)
- pib.gov.in (www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2244648)
- pib.gov.in (www.pib.gov.in/PressNoteDetails.aspx?NoteId=157407&ModuleId=3®=3&lang=1)