Lok Sabha Question No. 339 (STARRED), answered on 2020-03-17
Subject: Utilisation of Crop Residue
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Pankaj Chowdhary

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION & FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 339

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE   17 TH  MARCH, 2020

## UTILISATION OF CROP RESIDUE

## *339.    SHRI PANKAJ CHAUDHARY:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government proposes to consider/ take some effective measures to use crop residue after harvest;
- (b) whether the fertility of the agricultural land is being reduced as the crop residue is burned on the fields which destroys the microbes and insects beneficial for agriculture; and
- (c) if so, whether the Government proposes to promote the use of low cost techniques to produce compost manure from crop residue?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी

(SHRI NARENDRA  SINGH TOMAR)

- (a) to (c): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (c)  OF  LOK  SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 339   DUE FOR REPLY ON 17 TH     MARCH, 2020.

(a)  &  (b):        Yes  Sir.      Crop  residue  is  traditionally  utilized  as  animal  feed  as  such  or  by supplementing with some addictives in most parts of the country. It has been estimated that one ton of paddy stubble burning leads to a loss of 5.5 kilogram nitrogen, 2.3 Kg phosphorus, 25 Kg potassium and more than 1 Kg of Sulphur, 50-70% of micro-nutrients absorbed by rice and  400  Kg  of  Carbon.  The  heat  from  burning  paddy  straw  kills  the  bacterial  and  fungal population critical for a fertile soil and also causes damage to the soil organic quality.

To  reduce  the  crop  burning  and  potential  benefits  to  farmers,  Department  of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare has introduced the scheme  of In-situ management of Crop residue in the state of Punjab, Haryana, UP and NCT of Delhi. The funds to the tune of Rs. 584.33 Crores and Rs. 594.14 Crores have been released during 2018-19 & 2019-20 respectively under this scheme to State Government of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and NCT of Delhi & Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), to provide subsidy of @ 50% to individual farmers and 80% for Custom Hiring Centres. Total 100610 Crop Residue Machines were provided to the Individual farmers and 168226 under Custom Hiring Centers. Total  378  balers  with  40%  subsidy  were  also  provided  to  the  farmers  and  farmer  groups under Submission on Agriculture Mechanization for collection of straw in form of bales. The Governments are promoting the ex-situ management of crop residue by way of utilizing it in biomass  based  power  plants,  production  of  bioethanol  and  Bio-CNG  etc.  The  on-  field burning of Crop Residue results in loss of critical bacterial and fungal population essential for maintaining for soil fertility. As a result of In-situ Management of Crop Residue Management Scheme, in the year 2019 the number of crop burning events in the States concerned have been reduced by 18.8% and 31.0% as compared to the years 2018 & 2017 respectively.

(c): The  Department  under  the  National  Mission  on  Sustainable  Agriculture  (NMSA)  is providing 100% assistance to the State Governments/Government Agencies for setting up of state of the art liquid/carrier based bio-fertilizer units and mechanized Fruit/Vegetable market waste/agro waste compost  production unit. Similarly, for individuals/private agencies assistance as capital investment is provided through National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).

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