Centre Reviews Stubble Management, Directs States to Step Up Prevention Measures

New Delhi, Oct 14 (KNN) Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav reviewed stubble management measures during a meeting at Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi, and directed states to intensify efforts to prevent crop residue burning during the ongoing paddy harvesting season.

The ministers asked district administrations to strengthen monitoring, coordinate with relevant agencies and implement district-level action plans before the sowing of rabi crops.

Chouhan said the Centre had provided more than 3.54 lakh crop residue management machines to states, including 26,109 machines during 2026-27. 

He directed officials to repair non-functional equipment, ensure its availability to farmers and strengthen Custom Hiring Centres to provide machinery to small and marginal farmers at subsidised rates.

According to the meeting, stubble-burning incidents between September 15 and October 12 declined by 53.3 per cent in Haryana and around 32 per cent in Uttar Pradesh compared with the corresponding period last year. Chouhan expressed concern over increases in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan and called for targeted action in affected districts.

The Centre released Rs4,266.47 crore to states under the Crop Residue Management scheme between 2018-19 and 2025-26. Punjab received Rs2,056.50 crore, Haryana Rs1,171.71 crore, Uttar Pradesh Rs868.67 crore and Madhya Pradesh Rs59 crore.

For 2026-27, Rs592.57 crore was allocated under the scheme, of which Rs430.87 crore had been released. Chouhan urged Punjab to submit its pending utilisation certificate to facilitate the release of the next instalment.

The meeting also discussed using crop residue for electricity generation, compressed biogas, bio-ethanol, manure and animal fodder. Chouhan directed states to establish links between farmers and industries using crop residue and encouraged the adoption of shorter-duration paddy varieties to allow earlier harvesting.

Yadav called for intensified monitoring in identified districts of Punjab and Haryana and better coordination of stubble-burning data with the Commission for Air Quality Management and the Central Pollution Control Board.

He also directed district administrations to strengthen ground patrols and flying squads during the satellite-monitoring gap after 3 PM, when no satellite pass is available, to detect and prevent crop residue burning.

(KNN Bureau)