To check stubble burning: 500-cr plan for crop residue mgmt in the works in Punjab
A ₹500-crore outlay is being prepared for crop residue management (CRM) in Punjab to handle paddy stubble both in-situ and ex-situ during the upcoming kharif (paddy) harvest, set to begin in October
Chandigarh : A ₹500-crore outlay is being prepared for crop residue management (CRM) in Punjab to handle paddy stubble both in-situ and ex-situ during the upcoming kharif (paddy) harvest, set to begin in October.
The state’s agriculture department and the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) are working on an action plan mandated by the Supreme Court (SC).
Stubble burning, a common practice for clearing land following paddy harvest, is often blamed for the sharp and sustained rise in pollution levels in the National Capital Region during the October-November. However, researchers led by those at Japan’s Research Institute for Humanity and Nature under the ‘Aakash Project’ say the Delhi-NCR’s pollution during October-November is largely of local origin, with stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana contributing only 14% to the overall PM2.5 levels in 2022.
In the 2024 kharif season, Punjab recorded 10,909 cases of paddy stubble burning, a significant drop from 36,663 cases in 2023.
On February 4, the Supreme Court directed the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to take proactive measures to curb stubble burning, particularly in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. The court has urged state governments and CAQM to bring down paddy stubble burning cases to zero.
“Early preparation ensures better management, so we have already set things into motion,” said an official from the state agriculture department. District agriculture officers have been instructed to submit requisitions for machines that will be provided to farmers, village panchayats and custom hiring groups.
The PPCB is formulating an awareness programme to educate farmers on the harmful effects of stubble burning while planning preventive measures and recording cases of burning.
PPCB chairman Adarsh Pal Vig said the action plan must be submitted to the CAQM by February 15.
“Our focus is on ex-situ management, promoting industries that manufacture pellets from paddy stubble for use in thermal plants and industrial boilers as an alternative fuel and setting up compressed bio-gas plants,” said Vig.
Additionally, the state government has directed deputy commissioners to visit five villages with zero stubble burning cases and five hotspots to analyse challenges and propose solutions.
₹250 cr disbursed as subsidy to farmers
The state agriculture department has so far disbursed ₹250 crore as a subsidy for stubble management machinery through in-situ and ex-situ methods. Another ₹400 crore in subsidies is pending and will be disbursed soon, according to officials familiar with the development.
Out of the ₹250 crore already disbursed, ₹150 crore came from the central government, while ₹100 crore was contributed by the state. Recently, the Centre released an additional ₹75 crore, with the state adding ₹50 crore to the subsidy fund, said officials.
So far, 14,000 machines have been supplied to farmers. Among them, super-seeders — machines that simultaneously prepare the soil, sow seeds, and apply fertiliser — were the most popular. Zero-till drills (2,500 units) and balers (1,100 units) were also in high demand, according to officials.