Question : Crop Residue Management

(a) whether the Government has taken measures to motivate and train farmers for use of environment friendly crop residue management methods and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether any policy has been formulated to control the pollution due to traditional crop residue management methods like burning of the residue and if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether any Committee has been constituted by the Government to hear the views/stakes of farmers, especially farmers with small land holdings and if so, the details thereof;
(d) whether the National Green Tribunal has directed the Government to provide compensation to farmers so as to stop the burning of crop residue; and
(e) if so, the details thereof and the steps taken by the Government in this regard along with the outcome thereof?

MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

(DR. HARSH VARDHAN)


(a) to (e): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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Statement referred to in reply to Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 414 due for reply on 23.03.2018 regarding ‘Crop Residue Management’ by Shri Abhishek Singh &Shrimati Rama Devi, Hon’ble Members of Parliament

(a) to (c) The Government has approved a new Central Sector Scheme on ‘Promotion of Agricultural Mechanization for in-situ management of Crop Residue in the States of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and NCT of Delhi for the period from 2018-19 to 2019-20 with an outlay of Rs. 1151.80 crore. The action plan under the scheme has detailed schedule and level of activities for Information, Education and Communication (IEC) Strategy to motivate and train farmers for use of environment friendly crop residue management methods.A High Level Task Force (HLTF) under the Chairmanship to Principal Secretary to PM has been constituted for management of air pollution in Delhi NCR in November, 2017. The HLTF constituted a Sub-Committee on prevention of stubble burning in NCR States. The Sub-Committee of HLTFheld extensive discussionswith farmers in Patiala and Ludhiana.

(d)& (e) There is no such direction from NGT to provide compensation to farmers so as to stop the burning of crop residue.But, as per the decision of Hon’ble National Green Tribunal, the state governments submitted a project proposal to the Department of Agriculture Cooperation and Farmers Welfare (DAC&FW) and Rs.206.36 crore has been released to the States of Punjab, Haryana, Western UP and Rajasthan for promoting use of equipment such as straw baller, happy seeder, etc.during financial years 2016-17 and 2017-18. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has held numerous meetings with the state governments and impressed upon them to take all necessary steps to prevent stubble burning. Comparison of Active Fire Events (AFEs) data of Punjab during 2016 & 2017 reveal that from September 27, 2016 to November 15, 2016, there were 78772 AFEs while in the previous year for the same duration, the AFEs have been reduced to 42337. This shows a significant reduction. The National Steering Committee on Climate Change has approved Phase-I of one regional project titled ‘Climate Resilience building in Rural Areas through Crop Residue Management’ for the States of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan for funding underNational Adaptation Fund for Climate Change (NAFCC).

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