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‘Namo Drone Didi’ scheme rolls out drones to women SHGs for farm services
Over 1,100 farmers affected by bird flu in Kerala; large-scale culling reported
CPCB monitors water quality at nearly 5,000 sites, including marine zones
AI-based flood and avalanche forecasting pilots underway across India
Report flags high blood lead levels among 275 million children
Nipah virus cases reported in Kerala and West Bengal
Rooftop solar installations cross 2.6 million under PM Surya Ghar scheme
Fortified rice expanded across welfare schemes to address malnutrition
The government has approved the ‘Namo Drone Didi’ scheme as a central sector scheme with an outlay of Rs 1,261 crore for 2023-24 to 2025-26 to provide drones to selected women self-help groups (SHGs) for rental services to farmers, Union Minister of State for Rural Development Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani told the Lok Sabha.
The drones are intended for agricultural applications such as the spraying of fertilisers and pesticides. According to the Department of Fertilisers, lead fertiliser companies have so far distributed 500 drones under the scheme.
A total of 1,156 farmers were affected by bird flu in Kerala, and 168,472 birds were culled during 2024-25, Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh told the Lok Sabha.
The ministry provides financial assistance to states under the Assistance to States for Control of Animal Diseases (ASCAD) scheme, on a 50:50 cost-sharing basis, to compensate for culling carried out as a preventive measure, subject to state requests.
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) monitors water quality at 4,922 locations across the country, including 227 marine sites, Singh told the Lok Sabha.
This monitoring is carried out under the National Water Quality Monitoring Programme in collaboration with State Pollution Control Boards and Pollution Control Committees, with the aim of assessing water quality and controlling pollution in aquatic ecosystems, the minister said.
The Central Water Commission (CWC) has initiated pilot projects using artificial intelligence and machine learning for short-range flood forecasting across rivers in India, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai told the Lok Sabha.
The CWC is also providing seven-day advisory flood forecasts through its web portal using rainfall-based modelling, for major river basins of the country, including Himalayan states. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is developing technologies for avalanche forecasting, monitoring and detection using remote sensing and AI-based systems, including a pilot project on an autonomous avalanche forecasting system for the Himalayan region.
An estimated 275 million children under 19 years of age in India have blood lead levels above the safe threshold of 5 micrograms per decilitre, based on a joint report by NITI Aayog and the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Prataprao Jadhav told the Rajya Sabha.
The findings are based on 89 datasets from 36 studies conducted between 1970 and 2014. The report Assessment of Lead Impact on Human and India’s Response was released in July, 2022.
Four cases of Nipah virus disease were reported in Kerala in 2025 and two cases in West Bengal in 2026, Jadhav told the Rajya Sabha.
Nipah virus is a zoonotic disease that primarily affects pigs and humans, with fruit bats identified as the natural reservoir. Human infections typically occur in clusters, especially among close contacts and caregivers.
A total of 2,619,879 rooftop solar systems have been installed under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana since its launch in February 2024, as of March 19, 2026, Union Minister of State for New and Renewable Energy and Power Shripad Yesso Naik told the Rajya Sabha.
The scheme aims to achieve installations in one crore households by FY 2026-27. Central financial assistance amounting to Rs 17,967.53 crore has been disbursed to beneficiaries under the scheme so far.
The government is implementing the rice fortification programme to address micronutrient deficiencies by supplying rice enriched with iron, folic acid and vitamin B12 through major welfare schemes, Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya told the Rajya Sabha.
Fortified rice is being distributed through schemes such as the Targeted Public Distribution System, PM POSHAN, Integrated Child Development Services and other welfare programmes across all states and Union Territories. It is also supplied under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana in all districts, except wheat-consuming states such as Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, and Union Territories with 100 per cent direct benefit transfer systems, including Chandigarh and Puducherry.