Lok Sabha Question No. 414 (STARRED), answered on 2018-03-23
Subject: Crop Residue Management
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: ABHISHEK SINGH, RAMA DEVI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION N0. *414

TO BE ANSWERED ON 23.03.2018

## Crop Residue Management

## *414.   SHRI ABHISHEK SINGH: SHRIMATI RAMA DEVI:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (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?

## ANSWER

## 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 201920 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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