Ludhiana: After drone-spray training, Swaddi Kalan woman eyes income boost

A resident of Swaddi Kalan village here has become the first woman drone pilot in her area for spraying pesticides, an accomplishment that she believes will enable her to make a decent living besides inspiring other women.
Arvinder Kaur, wife of Jagrup Singh, underwent a special training from Chambal Fertilizer Company and she was given a drone for spraying pesticides on crops. Now, she is known in her area for spraying pesticides on crops using drones. Spraying one acre of land using a drone costs only ₹300 and takes only 7 minutes, she said.
She said that the drone spray technology has brought a revolutionary change in the agricultural sector, which should be adopted by more farmers. This technology not only saves pesticides and time but also enables spraying of one acre of crop in just seven minutes. This technology has resulted in an increase of about 15% crop yield.
Arvinder Kaur is a member of a self-help group (SHG) under the Punjab State Rural Livelihood Mission. Block programme manager Navdeep Singh motivated her to undergo drone training. Subsequently, she underwent 10 days of special training at the DGCA (directorate general of civil aviation) training centre in Manesar, Gurugram, and got a drone pilot certificate.
Arvinder said that adopting this technology saves both time and money. She expressed her happiness in working in this field and encouraged other women to join her.
Arvinder appealed to the women of Punjab to work shoulder to shoulder with their families, adopting modern technology in farming to make the agricultural business profitable.
Block programme manager Navdeep Singh said women of Siddhwan Bet block are engaged in preparing various products, such as pickle, papad, vermicompost, phulkari, soap, candles, makki ki roti, sarson ka saag and turmeric cakes (haldi ki pinni). These products are sold through stalls at fairs and various shops, as well as online platforms.
Sarpanch Jagdeep Singh Khalsa praised Arvinder Kaur, saying that she has brought fame to the Swaddi Kalan village by learning the art of flying drones. This will inspire and motivate other women, she added.