Every year in October and November, farmers in Punjab harvest paddy and then burn the leftover stubble to prepare the fields for wheat planting. However, this practice leads to severe air pollution in nearby areas, making it difficult for people to breathe.
To curb stubble burning, the Punjab Agriculture Department has decided to provide farmers with Crop Residue Management (CRM) machines at a subsidized rate before the upcoming Kharif harvest season. This year's Kharif harvest season will begin on October 1. The state government has approved a subsidy of ₹500 crore for the distribution of 21,000 CRM machines during this season.
Officials have stated that in ex-situ management, paddy stubble can be collected from fields and used as an alternative fuel. In in-situ management, stubble is mixed into the soil, allowing it to decompose and turn into fertilizer, thereby enhancing soil fertility. The state government is facilitating the import of large balers for industries to collect paddy stubble and use it as boiler fuel. For this, a subsidy of ₹20 crore has been allocated.
Officials have revealed that the state agriculture department has started the process of providing large balers to entrepreneurs. Notably, four female entrepreneurs have also shown interest in purchasing these subsidized baler machines. Punjab's Director of Agriculture, Jaswant Singh, mentioned that the delivery of CRM machines has already begun to ensure maximum utilization. These large balers are being imported from Germany, Spain, and Holland.
The government will spend ₹500 crore on providing subsidized machines for in-situ and ex-situ management of paddy stubble. Officials have stated that large balers, which cost between ₹1 crore to ₹1.5 crore, will be offered with a 65% subsidy. Additionally, the subsidy will cover balers that collect 3,000 to 4,500 tons of paddy stubble.
