Drone Technology to Revolutionize Different Departments for Efficient Governance
Shimla: In a move towards technological advancement and efficient governance, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has directed the Information Technology (IT) department to draft rules for the usage of drones within a fortnight.
The state government intends to introduce drone-enabled governance extensively in various departments, with the IT department acting as the nodal agency for the operations. The Deputy Commissioners of the concerned districts will provide logistic support to the departments willing to use the technology and also identify locations for developing drone hubs.
The state has collaborated with a drone company for conducting medical trials of drone operations in the Chamba, Kullu, and Mandi districts, with positive outcomes. The Chief Minister expressed confidence in the potential of drone technology in monitoring law and order, disaster management, electricity supply lines, agriculture, horticulture, health delivery, road surface condition monitoring, assessment of tourist movement, illicit mining, and illicit felling of trees.
The state government has already imparted drone training to 189 people, including 68 officers from various departments such as Revenue, Forest, Pollution Control Board, Technical Education, and Education. The state has established the first Drone Flying Training School in ITI Shahpur, and Drone Technician Courses in seven government-run ITIs across various districts.
The state government’s commitment to introducing drone technology for governance and monitoring operations is expected to bring about a significant transformation in the functioning of state departments, leading to improved service delivery and better outcomes for the people of the state. Drones are especially useful in areas with difficult terrains, such as snowbound regions.
With the drafting of drone usage rules, the state government will take the first concrete step towards utilizing the technology for effective and efficient governance. The introduction of drone technology is expected to revolutionize the way the state government operates and delivers its services to the people.
