Civil aviation ministry notifies guidelines for drone PLI scheme
NEW DELHI: The ministry of civil aviation (MoCA) on Friday notified guidelines for the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for drones and drone components.
“The government has approved the PLI scheme for an implementation during 2022-23 to 2024-25 with an outlay of ₹120 crore,” the ministry document read.
It said that the guidelines have been finalized after consultations and meetings with stakeholders including industry representatives and concerned departments.
The PLI scheme, the document stated, will be extended only to companies engaged in the manufacturing of drones and drone components in India.
The document also stated
that Indian Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and start-ups manufacturing drones having annual sales turnover of ₹2 crore will be eligible for claiming PLI, while for drone component makers, the eligibility threshold will be ₹50 lakh.
Similarly, for non-MSMEs making drones, the annual sales turnover requirement will be ₹4 crore for claiming the PLIs and the minimum level will be ₹1 crore in the case of non-MSME drone component makers.
“Excess incentive paid to any applicant (due to any reason, like sales return in the subsequent year or some other reason) will be adjusted in the incentives payable in the next year (s). If there are no incentives payable in the next year(s), the applicant has to return the incentive sling with interest calculated at 3 years SBI MCLR prevailing on the date of disbursement, compounded annually, for the number of days of holding the excess incentive,’’ the document read.
“Manufacturer is capped at ₹30 crore which is 25% of the total financial outlay of ₹120 crore,” it read.