Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann Pushes for Aggressive Campaign to Curb Paddy Straw Burning Through Awareness and Subsidy Programs

Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann Pushes for Aggressive Campaign to Curb Paddy Straw Burning Through Awareness and Subsidy Programs

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has called for a comprehensive and sustained campaign to educate farmers about paddy straw management, aiming to significantly reduce paddy straw burning incidents across the state. Chairing a meeting on crop residue management, Mann emphasized the need to raise awareness among farmers about the environmental and health hazards associated with burning paddy straw. He also highlighted the availability of subsidies on straw management equipment to incentivize farmers to adopt sustainable practices.

The Chief Minister stressed the importance of a targeted communication campaign to spread awareness. He suggested establishing Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs) at Panchayats and other common areas to provide easy access to machinery that aids in paddy straw management. Farmers will be informed about the cost-saving benefits of these centres, where they can rent equipment rather than purchasing it outright.

Mann directed Deputy Commissioners across Punjab to actively engage in this awareness campaign, transforming it into a mass movement. Under the state’s Crop Residue Management (CRM) Scheme for 2024-25, the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare has already opened applications for farmers seeking subsidies on straw management machinery through the agrimachinerypb.com portal.

As of June 20, 2024, 63,904 applications for equipment had been submitted. Responding to demand from various districts, the portal was reopened from September 13 to September 19, resulting in a cumulative 1.07 lakh applications by the closing date. The Punjab government has set a goal of distributing 14,000 machines to individual farmers and establishing 1,100 CHCs across the state.

In addition, the government has launched the “Unnat Kisan” mobile application, a one-stop platform for small and marginal farmers to access CRM machines. Over 1.30 lakh machines have been mapped on the app, enabling farmers to easily book machines from CHCs in their locality. Village Level Nodal Officers or Cluster Heads will also help pre-assign machines to farmers based on their preferences, ensuring seamless access.

The Chief Minister expressed satisfaction with the results of these initiatives, noting a significant reduction in fire incidents related to paddy straw burning. Punjab saw a 30% reduction in fire incidents from 2021-22 to 2022-23, and a 26% reduction from 2022-23 to 2023-24. Overall, fire incidents have decreased by 52% compared to 2020-21, thanks to the increased use of machinery and aggressive awareness campaigns.

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