Raipur — To improve the reliability of this year’s kharif crop assessment, the Chhattisgarh government has turned to aerial technology. The conventional girdawari exercise, due to finish in October, will now combine high‑resolution drone imagery with field‑level checks by revenue officials.
UAV‑derived maps complemented by on‑site validation
Small unmanned aircraft are sweeping across major farming belts, capturing detailed photographs of plot borders, crop‑type signatures and the total cultivated surface. These pictures are processed into a digital ledger that pinpoints exactly where each crop is sown.
At the same time, revenue teams are making ground visits to verify the aerial records. Any inconsistency between the drone‑produced map and the on‑the‑ground observation triggers a flag for further investigation.
Real‑time oversight of the girdawari operation
Senior officials are monitoring the survey’s progress closely, reviewing reports submitted by field crews. When a disparity emerges—such as a crop listed in official registers that does not match the reality on the field—the responsible officers must provide an explanation.
This two‑layer methodology is intended to prune errors in the state’s crop database and deliver a more credible picture of agricultural output.
Detecting illegal opium and cannabis farms
The aerial sweep is not confined to legal kharif crops. Authorities are also scanning for signs of illicit opium and cannabis cultivation. Revenue officers coordinate with police and other agencies; if drone footage or a field check hints at suspicious planting, a targeted inspection follows before any enforcement action is taken.
Officials argue that UAV mapping can quickly expose hard‑to‑reach pockets, enabling a faster response to potential illegal farms.
Scale of the sowing target
Chhattisgarh aims to sow kharif crops on 48.69 lakh hectares this season. Satellite‑assisted estimates released on 22 September showed that cultivation had already reached 48.44 lakh hectares.
Rice remains the predominant kharif crop, while maize, kodo, kutki, arhar, moong, groundnut and ramtil also feature prominently across the state’s landscape.
The final round of girdawari in October is expected to lock in the precise area under each crop.
Why accurate records matter to farmers
Precise crop data underpins a host of government schemes—crop‑insurance payouts, disaster relief, compensation and other farmer‑focused programmes. When the type of crop and the exact cultivated area are reliably recorded, authorities can identify eligible beneficiaries and channel assistance more efficiently.
By marrying drone technology with traditional field checks, the administration hopes to build a robust, transparent crop database that ensures public support reaches the right hands.
