Mahindra and Mahindra, an Indian automotive company, has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) to carry out two pilot projects as part of the Drone Didi Yojna.

The Drone Didi Yojna, initiated earlier this year by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeks to provide training to 15,000 women in operating drones for agricultural activities like fertiliser distribution, crop surveillance, and seed planting. This program aims to open up fresh avenues of employment for women by equipping them with expertise in cutting-edge technology fields.As part of this collaboration, Mahindra and MSDE will carry out two trials at the National Skill Training Institutes (NSTI) in Hyderabad and Noida, focusing on training 500 women in specialized groups of 20 women each.

The curriculum, which has been sanctioned by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, will be taught by instructors from RPTO (Remote Pilot Training Organization) at these facilities.

Group CEO & MD of Mahindra Group, Anish Shah said,“Aligned with our Rise philosophy, the Mahindra Group is committed to empowering the women with the skills necessary to join the workforce and achieve financial independence. The pilot under the Drone Didi Yojana represents a first-of-its-kind convergence of women, farming, and technology."

He also added,"We are absolutely delighted to provide technology training to grassroots women and ensure that agriculture is equipped for the future."

Secretary, MSDE,Atul Kumar Tiwari exclaimed with enthusiasm,"We are excited to announce our partnership with Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., leveraging their agricultural expertise for comprehensive training. Two NSTIs in Hyderabad and Noida have been chosen for the pilot program, with the goal of empowering rural women in agriculture."

This partnership strengthens our goal of empowering women to gain new skills for our nation's improvement, particularly through the Drone Didi program. I believe that our collaboration with Mahindra will advance our mission by providing women with the skills they need to actively contribute to nation-building. Building on our successful partnerships with technology industry allies, this marks the start of many joint ventures with Mahindra.

Mahindra Group will provide support for the initial set-up by offering simulation machinery/drones, simulator controller, simulator software, i5 Processor Desktop computer, and trainers. They will also cover the operating costs during the Pilot project, including expenses for DGCA License Holder Instructors at the centers.