Lok Sabha Question No. 4261 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-27
Subject: Air Pollution due to Stubble
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Vivek Narayan Shejwalkar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 4261

TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.03.2023

## Air Pollution due to Stubble

## 4261. SHRI VIVEK NARAYAN SHEJWALKAR:

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

- (a) the  details  of  the  schemes  being  implemented  by  the  Government  to  control  the  air pollution occurring due to burning of stubble in various States;
- (b) the details of facilities being provided by the Government to various State Governments for stubble waste management; and
- (c) whether  the  Government  is  assisting  State  Governments  to  establish  Thermal  Plants including Paddy Straw Pellets Unit of various sectors and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a) to (c)

To support the efforts of the Governments of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and NCT of Delhito  address  air  pollution  caused  due  to  stubble  burning  and  to  subsidize  machinery required  formanagement  of  crop  residue,  a  Central  Sector  Scheme  on  Crop  Residue Management has been implemented w.e.f. 2018-19. Under this scheme, financial assistance @ 50% is provided tothe farmers for purchase of crop residue management machinery and @ 80% is provided toCoop. Societies, FPOs and Panchayats for establishment of Custom Hiring Centres.  Financialassistance  to  the  States  and  ICAR  is  also  provided  for  undertaking Information, Education andCommunication activities for mass awareness of farmers on crop residue management. Duringthe period from 2018-19 to 2022-23, Rs. 3138.17 crores have been released (Punjab - Rs.1426.45 crores, Haryana - Rs. 916.71 crores, Uttar Pradesh - Rs. 713.67 crores, NCT of Delhi- Rs. 6.05 Crores and ICAR- Rs. 75.29 crores). The States have distributed more than 2.42lakh machines to the individual farmers and to more than 38000 CHCs in these 4 States, whichalso include more than 4500 Balers & Rakes which are used for  collection  of  straw  in  the  formof  bales  for  further  ex-situ  utilization.  The  State-wise machine distributed is given as Annexure.

Another scheme has been launched by Ministry of New and Renewal Energy for the whole country and for other crop residues.  Assistance is given upto Rs.9 Lakhs for one TPH (Ton per hour) capacity of non-torrefied palletisation, limited to Rs. 45 lakhs per unit.

Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has issued guidelines for grant of one-time financial support  under  environment  protection  charge  funds  for  establishment  of  pelletisation  and torrefaction  plants  to  promote  utilisation  of  paddy  straw  in  the  NCT  of  Delhi,  States  of Punjab  &  Haryana,  and  NCR  districts  of  Rajasthan  &  Uttar  Pradesh.  Further,tenders  have been floated for around 1193.85 Lakh MT (including long-terms tenders also) for co-firing of agro residue pellets with coal in thermal power plants.

***

Annexure-I The State-wise State-wise machine distributed for crop residue management

| Sl. No.   | State         |   Machines supplied (Nos.) |
|-----------|---------------|----------------------------|
| 1.        | Punjab        |                     110175 |
| 2.        | Haryana       |                      68003 |
| 3.        | Uttar Pradesh |                      63982 |
| 4.        | Delhi         |                        300 |
| Total     | Total         |                     242460 |