Gujarat Government Announces ‘Drone Promotion and Use Policy’ and Seeks to Create Jobs

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Gujarat Government Announces 'Drone Promotion and Use Policy' and Seeks to Create Jobs

The Gujarat government on Wednesday unveiled a new policy for state departments and organizations to promote the use of drones for operations and service delivery to beneficiaries and said it seeks to create 25,000 business opportunities. employment and attract investment. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel unveiled the ‘drone promotion and use policy’ at a reception in the state capital, Gandhinagar.

The policy aims to create a “vibrant drone ecosystem, including manufacturing and innovation, by promoting the use of drones for service delivery” and to make various public services “more effective, popular, efficient and faster through the use of advanced technologies,” a government statement said.

It also aims to create 25,000 direct and indirect job opportunities and attract investment for the development, operation and maintenance of the drone service ecosystem in the state, he said.

Valid for a period of five years, the policy will enable state government departments to play a catalytic role in encouraging the commercial use of drones (remotely operated unmanned aerial vehicles).

In accordance with the policy, within six months, various state government departments, public sector enterprises (PSUs), councils and organizations will formulate plans and programs to promote the use of drones in their respective areas. .

For its implementation, an authorized monitoring committee of eight principal secretaries will be formed under the chairmanship of the additional chief secretary of the Ministry of the Interior. The committee will meet periodically and follow the initiatives taken by the various departments and UAPs for the promotion and use of drones.

“Private and public investment in areas such as research and development, innovation, manufacturing, testing, training and safety regulations will be encouraged for widespread use of drones in the state through innovative methods,” the statement said.

As per the policy, User Departments will provide preferences to Startups, Make In India Enterprises and MSMEs (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) in line with Gujarat Government procurement standards.

It will also promote the establishment of training infrastructure to improve the availability of skilled labor in the state and incentivize startups and other drone manufacturing units.

The policy also aims to mitigate risk and address security challenges by specifying prohibited (no-fly zone), restricted and open areas through the deployment of “drone traffic police”, according to the statement.

The proposed use of drones by various departments has been noted in the policy. For example, the home department will use drones in crowd management, to maintain vigilance at vital facilities, VVIP, border and coastal security, and disaster management, among other areas.

The Department of Agriculture will use it to spray pesticides, fertilizers, sow seeds and monitor soil quality. For the Department of Industries and Mines, this would be the monitoring of mining areas and mining blocks and leases.

For the Department of Health and Family Welfare, drones will be deployed for the delivery of medical supplies and blood, while for the Forestry Department, the remote-controlled unmanned aircraft will be used for lion census and monitoring. wildlife tracking, among other activities.

Some departments have already started using drones.

They were used extensively to maintain strict vigilance during the recent Rath Yatra by the Home Office. The Department of Industries and Mines has launched “Trinetra” drones to control illegal mining.


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