PRAYAGRAJ, Sept. 6 -- For years, women of Prayagraj's villages worked quietly in the fields. Now, some are taking to the skies. A new batch of nine women has been selected to undergo training in drone operations for agriculture under the State Rural Livelihood Mission (SRLM). They left for Lucknow this week for a 15-day program that will teach them how to spray fertilisers and pesticides using drones, an occupation once seen as the preserve of men. Part of the 'Drone Sakhi' program, the initiative equips women with drones to provide services across villages, ensuring better yields and steady income. "In the second phase of the scheme, nine women have been selected and sent for training. After 15 days, they will return as certified drone operators," said Ashok Kumar Gupta, deputy commissioner of the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM). This is Prayagraj's second group of drone pilots. In the first phase, 15 women were trained and are already offering services to farmers. With this batch, the number of women drone operators in the district will rise to 24. "These women have gained financial independence and also a new identity in their communities," added Gupta. The training includes a 5-day basic course and 10 days of specialised agricultural application. Women aged 18 and above, with at least class 10 education and membership in self-help groups, can apply. Each certified woman is allotted a drone to serve 10-15 villages. The drones are provided at an 80% subsidy, making them affordable for SHG members. For Pinky, 42, from Tonga village in Koraon, the program has been life-changing. Widowed and raising three children alone, she once struggled for recognition. "Earlier, no one knew me. Now everyone calls me 'Drone Didi'. I feel more respected in the community," she said. Her earnings now allow her to send her children to a private school. Sushila, 44, from Ulda village, once relied on her husband's irregular earnings as a painter. With drone operations, she has found stability. "Many farmers are still unaware of drone spraying. As more learn, my income will grow," she said. Officials say the 'Drone Sakhi' program is reshaping rural livelihoods by blending modern farming technology with women's empowerment. As more women return to certified roles, Prayagraj's fields may soon have a new fleet of role models, women who turned education into opportunity and dignity into flight....