Question : Stubble Burning by Farmers

(a) whether the farmers owing to non-availability of technology and in the absence of any financial incentive for scientific disposal of stubble are compelled to burn it in the open;

(b) if so, the immediate action taken by the Government to tackle the problem contributing to the degeneration of Air Quality Index (AQI) in the northern parts of the country particularly Delhi and if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government has taken steps to tackle pollution caused due to stubble burning through awareness programme and if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether the Government has sought to implement measures to reuse and monetize farm waste and if so, the details thereof, if not, the reasons therefor; and

(e) whether the Government plans to incentivize farmers in the region to grow low water-use crops and if so, the details thereof, if not, the reasons therefor?

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

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(a): Paddy stubble burning is mainly practiced in Indo-Gangetic plains of the States of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to clear the fields for Rabi crop sowing.The farmers are resorting to paddy straw burning because of very short time window between the harvesting of paddy crop and the sowing of next crop.


Contd…2/-



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(b) & (c): To address air pollution and to subsidize machinery required for in-situ management of crop residue, a 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 has been implemented.
During the year 2018-19 and 2019-20, the funds as under have been released under the aforementioned scheme:

State/Agency Funds Released (Rs. in Crores)
2018-19 2019-20
Punjab 269.38 273.80
Haryana 137.84 192.06
Uttar Pradesh 148.60 105.28
NCT of Delhi 0 4.52
ICAR and other Central Agencies 28.51 18.48
Total 584.33
594.14


Out of these funds, the State Governments during 2018-19 and 2019-20, have supplied more than 100610 machines to the individual farmers and to the Custom Hiring Centres on subsidy for in-situ management of crop residue.

The State Governments and Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) have also undertaken Information, Education and Communication (IEC) activities on a massive scale for creating awareness among farmers.

(d): The State Governments are promoting the ex-situ management of paddy residue by way of utilizing it in biomass based power plants, production of bioethanol and Bio-CNG. The State of Haryana has notified Bio Energy Policy and has made agreement with Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) for setting up of Compressed Bio Gas (CBG) plants. The Ethanol plants of IOCL at Bohali, Panipat has agreed to purchase the paddy straw at remunerative price from the farmers.

(e): The State Government of Punjab has aimed to divert an area of 10 lakh hectares of paddy to other crops like Maize, Basmati Paddy & Cotton. Out of around 13 lakh hectares area under paddy, the Government of Haryana is aiming to diversify at least one lakh hectares area every year to alternate crops like Pulses & Maize.


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