Punjab Seeks Rs 500 Cr from Centre to Tackle Stubble Burning, Focus to Increase Farm Machinery

The Punjab Agriculture Department is taking proactive steps to tackle the annual challenge of paddy stubble burning. They're gearing up to request a substantial ₹500 crore grant from the Central government to address this issue during the upcoming October-November harvest season.

This move aligns with the union agriculture ministry's mandate for crop residue management and reflects a new cost-sharing arrangement. The Centre will contribute 60% of the funds, while the state government will bear 40%. This represents an increase from the previous season's ratio, where the Centre shouldered 70% of the burden.

However, the focus isn't just on increasing funds. The department is placing special emphasis on expanding options for managing paddy stubble, with a keen eye on ex-situ methods. This involves transporting the straw away from fields for alternative uses, such as power generation or biofuel production. This approach will complement the existing in-situ efforts, which involve incorporating the straw back into the soil.

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Agriculture director Jaswant Singh mentioned that the focus this time is on seeking funds for both in-situ and ex-situ management, with special attention on the latter. The state government plans to develop an action plan for the upcoming season, aiming to provide more machines than the previous year. Additionally, there may be increased spending on ex-situ management of paddy stubble.

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This strategic shift holds promise for reducing stubble-burning instances, which saw a worrying 26% increase last year, rising from 15 lakh acres to 19 lakh acres. The state generates a massive 20 million tonnes of paddy straw each season, including 3.3 million tonnes from the prized aromatic basmati variety. Currently, they manage around 11.5 million tonnes through in-situ measures and 4.67 million tonnes through ex-situ methods.

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