New Delhi, April 8 -- Anantapur, an arid and backward district in southwestern part of Andhra Pradesh, is often in the news for recurring droughts.

But a first-of-its-kind initiative that maps 103 farm ponds in Bandlapalle village in the district with the help of drones is providing useful insights in the assessment and rejuvenation of water bodies across India.

Scientists of Hyderabad-based National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), have used drones to survey, map and calculate the volume of water stored in these ponds and its impact on farmers' income. These water bodies were built in 2017-18 under the central government's rural employment scheme, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

The recent NRSC study ...