The Ministry of Civil Aviation on Thursday invited applications for Production Linked Incentive scheme for drones and drone components. It said that the last date for submitting the application form is May 20, 2022.
Those manufacturers who have crossed the PLI eligibility threshold for FY 2021- 2022 can apply, it said in a press release. The eligibility criteria for the PLI scheme for drones and drone components include an annual sales turnover of Rs 2 crore for drone companies and Rs 50 lakhs for drone components manufacturers and a value addition of over 40% of sales turnover.
The final list of PLI beneficiaries may be released by June 30, 2022.”
The Central Government notified the PLI scheme for drones and drone components on September 30, 2021. Under the scheme, a total incentive of Rs 120 crore is spread over three financial years which is nearly double the combined turnover of all domestic drone manufacturers in FY 2020-21.
The drone service sector holds tremendous promise and will provide about one lakh jobs in the next four-five years, Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia had said in April. “We took out a productivity-linked scheme for the drone sector where a nascent industry of drone manufacturing — which had a total revenue of Rs 60 crore — was given an incentive of Rs 120 crore over the next three years,” the minister said in his speech at an event organised by the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce (IACC).”
