MoS for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Dr. Sanjeev Kumar Balyan today launched KISAN Project [C(K)rop Insurance using Space technology And geoiNformatics]. The project envisages use of Space Technology and geoinformatics (GIS, GPS and Smartphone) technology along with high resolution data from UAV/Drone based imaging. The project will pave the way for improvement in yield estimation and better planning of Crop Cutting Experiments (CCEs), needed for crop insurance programme.

The Pilot Study is proposed to be launched in one District each of Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra during Kharif season of 2015 and two Districts each of these States during Rabi season of 2015-16.  Once the Pilot Study is successful, it will be extended to the other parts of the country.

The KISAN project will be implemented by Mahalanobis National Crop Forecast Centre (MNCFC) in collaboration with ISRO Centres, India Meteorological Department, CCAFS, State Agriculture Departments and State Remote Sensing Centres.

Dr. Balyan also launched an Android App designed by ISRO.  This App will help real time data collection about hailstorm occurrences along with photographs and geographical coordinates (longitude and latitude).  The Minister informed that App will help Government to get real time data about the Hailstorms which will be collected through the Agriculture Department officials of different States.  This will support in deciding the crop loss more objectively and in a very fast manner.