logo
Chhattisgarh's Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya inks MoU to promote drone use in agriculture

Chhattisgarh's Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya inks MoU to promote drone use in agriculture

Time of India25-04-2025
Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya signs MoU with the Catalyst Foundation to boost drone usage in agriculture
RAIPUR:
Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya
(IGKV), Raipur, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to increase the utility and application of drones in agriculture.
The MoU, signed with the
Catalyst Foundation
, also aims to promote agricultural research, innovation, and extension. Students, youth, and farmers associated with the university will receive training in drone operation, maintenance, repair, and overhauling. The training, expected to last seven to ten days, is projected to create employment opportunities in the field of drone applications in agriculture.
The University Vice-Chancellor Dr Girish Chandel, Dr Vinay Kumar Pandey, Dean of Swami Vivekanand College of Agricultural Engineering, and Pushpraj Pandey representing the Foundation, signed the MoU.
Under the agreement, a Remote Pilot Training Organisation (RPTO) unit will be established at the College of Agricultural Engineering, following the guidelines of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Government of India. This unit will provide training and certification in drone technology and operation to students and youth in Chhattisgarh.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Invest $200 in Amazon without buying stocks to earn a second salary
Marketsall
Undo
Vice-Chancellor Dr Chandel highlighted the increasing use of drones in agriculture, spanning from sowing seeds and spraying fertilizers and pesticides to crop monitoring. He emphasized the significant employment potential this field offers for the youth. He added that the National Education Policy encourages the integration of employment-oriented courses for students, and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is also promoting certificate courses in drone technology in agricultural universities.
So far, three agricultural universities in the country have started such courses, making Indira Gandhi Agricultural University the fourth to introduce a certificate course in drone technology.
Pandey noted that while many institutions are using drones in agriculture, there is still a considerable shortage of skilled drone operators. He stated that a ten-day training program will open up new employment avenues for youth.
According to the agreement, joint training programs will be conducted with a special focus on rural youth and women. These programs will cover agricultural drone operation, training of trainers, and drone maintenance, repair, and overhauling (MRO).
The university will also enhance infrastructure and resources to support the application of drones in agricultural research, innovation, and extension. Capacity building and skill development will align with ICAR guidelines and national goals related to
drone technology in agriculture
.
With support from industry and domain experts associated with Catalyst Foundation, students will also receive placement assistance and opportunities for hands-on demonstrations.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

India, UK unveil road map to boost defence, tech, energy ties
India, UK unveil road map to boost defence, tech, energy ties

Time of India

time32 minutes ago

  • Time of India

India, UK unveil road map to boost defence, tech, energy ties

India, UK unveil road map to boost defence, tech, energy ties Prime Minister Narendra Modi strongly raised issues like the need to shun double standards on terrorism, presence of Indian economic offenders in the UK and Khalistan extremism in his meeting with counterpart Keir Starmer, saying those who use democratic freedom to undermine democracy must be held accountable. Thanking Starmer for his strong condemnation of the Pahalgam terrorist attack, Modi said that the two leaders were united in their view that there can be no place for double standards in the fight against terrorism. Modi also said that Indian and British agencies would work together for the extradition of economic offenders, in what was seen as a clear message to fugitives such as Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi, Lalit Modi and Sanjay Bhandari that government intends to get them back to face legal action in the country. Although government has got assistance, Mallya and Nirav Modi have been seeking to prolong their stay in the UK by using multiple forums for appeal. While the formalisation of India-UK free trade agreement was the highlight of Modi's visit to the UK, another significant takeaway was the launch of a Vision 2035 roadmap for boosting ties in areas like defence, technology, education, clean energy and people-to-people contacts. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo The leaders adopted a blueprint for defence industrial cooperation to promote, as the Indian government said, collaboration in co-design, co-development and co-production of defence products to meet the growing demand in both countries as well as for the world market. On the issue of Khalistan extremism, which he was expected to raise with Starmer, Modi said there was agreement between India and the UK that forces with extremist ideologies must not be allowed to misuse democratic freedoms. "Those who misuse democratic freedoms to undermine democracy itself must be held to account," said the PM, in his joint press statement with the UK PM. "On the matter of extradition of economic offenders as well, our agencies will continue to work together in close coordination and cooperation," added Modi, who sought the UK's cooperation in bringing the fugitives to justice. India and the UK also reached an agreement between the CBI and the UK's National Crime Agency to jointly fight organised crime. Foreign secretary Vikram Misri said that the leaders committed to strengthen the global fight against terrorism. "While noting that extremism and radicalisation pose threat to both societies, they agreed to further enhance bilateral cooperation to deal with the menace," said the official. Modi said that Vision 2035 will serve as a roadmap for a strong, trusted, and ambitious partnership in the areas of technology, defence, climate, education, and people-to-people connectivity. "It is our commitment that, from AI to critical minerals, semiconductors to cyber security, we shall create the future together," he said, while inviting Starmer to visit India soon. Starmer accepted the invitation. Amid concerns over the erratic US trade policies, both sides also sought to promote a fair, non-discriminatory and inclusive trading system. According to the roadmap, India and the UK reaffirmed their shared commitment to a rules-based international order and to strengthening multilateralism through meaningful reform. Importantly for India, the roadmap focuses on reform of the United Nations, including the security council, and other multilateral institutions such as the Commonwealth, WTO, WHO, IMF, and the World Bank, ensuring these bodies "reflect contemporary global realities and are equipped to address emerging challenges".

Rs 5,000 to register mutually divided ancestral property
Rs 5,000 to register mutually divided ancestral property

Time of India

time33 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Rs 5,000 to register mutually divided ancestral property

1 2 Lucknow: The department of stamp and registration is working on a proposal to cut down stamp duty for partition of properties from 7% of the value of a property to a flat Rs 5,000. Partition of property refers to division of ancestral property among various claimants. Due to the high cost of registration of 'aapsi sehmati' or mutual consent settlements, families end up going to revenue or civil courts which means that matters can get dragged on for months, if not years. By easing registration charges, the government hopes to reduce pendency in civil and revenue courts. An official confirmed that the proposal will be taken to Cabinet for clearance in about a month. Partition of property is when the co-owners of a property mutually agree to divide the property among themselves and accordingly get it registered under Article 45 of the Registration Act, 1908. For instance, if an ancestral house is owned by two siblings, and two generations down they have 16 descendants, then the property needs to be divided into 16 parts, which includes the decision on which part of the property goes to whom. "Registration of stamp duty is 5% of the property price in Noida and 7% in the rest of the state. To avoid this cost, families end up going to the revenue department or to civil courts which could take months to dispose of each matter. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like How Much Does It Cost to Rent a Private Jet - The Prices May Surprise You! Private Jet I Search Ads Learn More Undo This process can be completed in just five minutes through mutual agreement now. To reduce this burden, a flat rate of Rs 5,000 per registration has been proposed," said minister Ravindra Jaiswal. In fact, the idea to reduce registration to a flat rate was mooted by chief minister Yogi Adityanath in 2024 not just to reduce pendency in courts but since in the case of partition there is no sale or purchase of property but just division, it was felt that high registration rates were unfair on citizens. Meanwhile, other aspects of property settlement within families where a similar reduction in stamp registration can be expected within the next few months include settlement under Article 58 of the Registration Act, 1908, where a person distributes property among heirs while still alive, release, and exchange of ancestral properties.

Fix skill gaps and build industry connect to make NEP reforms effective: Academics
Fix skill gaps and build industry connect to make NEP reforms effective: Academics

Time of India

time33 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Fix skill gaps and build industry connect to make NEP reforms effective: Academics

Hyderabad: While India's National Education Policy (NEP) emphasises internationalisation of higher education, a study of 165 institutions highlights a different trend: large outflow of Indian students seeking education abroad and limited inflow of international students to Indian institutes. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Speaking about it at a panel during a NEP conference in Hyderabad on Thursday, academics attributed this to weak industry linkages and poor employment opportunities. Even though Indian institutions offer affordable and quality education, these gaps drive Indian students overseas and deter foreign enrolment, they added. "This imbalance stems from the fact that our education system often fails to translate into employment," reiterated B J Rao, vice-chancellor of the University of Hyderabad. He added: "To achieve true internationalisation and global recognition, we must build stronger, more organic linkages between institutions and industry." Divya Nalla, director of Nalla Malla Reddy engineering college stressed the need to address "foundational issues" to "implement the NEP effectively". "Many students today struggle with basic communication skills; some can't even draft a simple leave letter. To bridge this gap, we conduct regular language classes. For true internationalisation, our students need to meet global standards, which will in turn justify investments in improving infrastructure to attract students from all over the world," he said. The study — From Vision to Reality: Tracking NEP 2020 Implementation in Indian Higher Education — has been conducted by QS I-GAUGE, an independent educational rating system, and sheds light on key institutional shortcomings hindering the pace and effectiveness of internationalisation under the NEP. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Despite the policy's strong emphasis on positioning India as a global education hub, the report states that nearly half of the surveyed institutions — about 45% — still lack dedicated faculty responsible for international engagement. Additionally, 41% of institutions reported having no active international collaborations, limiting exposure to global academic networks. "Also, 39% of institutions lack the physical infrastructure or administrative offices required to support international students, making it difficult to provide the academic, cultural, and logistical support needed for a truly international campus experience," the study stated. According to it, 33% of institutions do not have a policy of reserved seats for international students. Underlining how it's the right time for Indian universities to pursue foreign collaborations, Madan Pillutla, dean, Indian School of Business, said: "Many foreign institutions are coming to India. We should use this opportunity to collaborate with them. This will enhance our academics and put us on the global landscape."

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store