Govt Revises Crop Residue Management Guidelines in Punjab, Haryana, UP, & Delhi to Combat Straw Burning

In a landmark move to address the issue of crop residue burning and promote sustainable agricultural practices, the Central and State Governments have jointly revised the Crop Residue Management guidelines, enabling efficient ex-situ management of paddy straw generated in the states of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi.

Under this initiative, techno-commercial pilot projects for Paddy Straw Supply Chain will be established through bilateral agreements between farmers, rural entrepreneurs, cooperative societies of farmers, Farmer's Producer Organizations (FPOs), Panchayats, and industries utilizing the paddy straw.

The revised guidelines aim to provide a comprehensive framework for managing paddy straw, which has been a major cause of air pollution due to burning in fields. The government will extend financial assistance on the capital cost of machinery and equipment required for the establishment of a paddy straw supply chain. The working capital can be financed jointly by the industry and beneficiaries or through schemes such as the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) and financing from financial institutions.

The state governments will play a crucial role in approving these projects through a project sanctioning committee, ensuring effective implementation across the regions. The financial support for the projects will be distributed as follows: 65% from the joint Central and State Governments, 25% from the industry acting as the primary promoter and consumer of the feedstock, and the remaining 10% from the direct beneficiaries, including farmers, groups of farmers, rural entrepreneurs, cooperative societies of farmers, Farmers Producer Organizations (FPOs), and Panchayats.

The outcomes of these interventions are expected to be significant and far-reaching. The establishment of biomass collection depots in the states of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh with a combined capacity of 4500 metric tonnes will help collect 1.5 million metric tonnes of surplus paddy straw over three years, which would otherwise have been burnt in the fields. This would substantially reduce air pollution caused by stubble burning and alleviate the environmental burden on the regions.

Moreover, the project is expected to generate approximately 9,00,000 man-days of employment opportunities, providing much-needed support to the rural economy. By encouraging a robust supply chain management of paddy straw, the initiative will make paddy straw available for various end uses such as power generation, heat generation, bio-CNG, and more, benefiting power/bio-CNG/bio-ethanol producers.

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The establishment of a supply chain for paddy straw is also anticipated to attract new investments in the biomass-to-biofuel and energy sectors, further bolstering India's transition towards cleaner and more sustainable energy sources.

The government's revised guidelines mark a significant step in tackling the issue of crop residue burning and promoting sustainable agricultural practices. By embracing innovation and collaboration between farmers, industries, and governments, India is setting an example for sustainable crop residue management and moving closer to achieving its environmental goals. This initiative not only addresses the problem of paddy straw management but also holds the potential to unlock new economic opportunities and foster a greener and more prosperous future for the agricultural sector and the nation as a whole.

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