Lok Sabha Question No. 791 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-02-07
Subject: Technology for Stubble Management
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Malook Nagar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 791

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 7 TH  FEBRUARY, 2023

## TECHNOLOGY FOR STUBBLE MANAGEMENT

791. SHRI MALOOK NAGAR:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ षि एवं ककसान कल्याण मंत्री be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether the Government is aware that farmers are forced to burn straw/stubble/crop stubble in the open due to non-availability of technology for their management and nonexistence of any provision of cash incentives for their scientific disposal; and
- (b) if so, the action taken by the Government to deal with this problem which is resulting into worsening of Air Quality Index (AQI) in the northern parts of the country and particularly in Delhi?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ षि एवं ककसान कल्याण मंत्री (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

- (a) and (b): Paddy stubble  burning  is  practiced  in  Indo-gangetic  plains  of  the  States  of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to clear the fields for Rabi Crop sowing. To support the efforts of the Governments of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and NCT of Delhi to address air pollution and to subsidize machinery required for management of crop residue, a 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'  is  being implemented  from  2018-19.  The  scheme  promotes  the  usage  of  machines  for  stubble management such as Super Straw Management Systems, Happy Seeder, Super Seeder, Smart Seeder, Zero Till Seed cum Fertilizer Drill, Mulcher, Shrub Master/Rotary Slasher, Paddy Straw Chopper, Hydraulically Reversible Mould Board Plough, Crop Reapers and Reaper Binders for in-situ management of crop residue and Balers & Straw Rakes which are used  for  straw  collection  in  the  form  of  bales  for  other  ex-situ  uses  of  straw.  Financial assistance @ 50% of the cost of machinery is provided to the farmers for purchase of these identified  crop  residue  management  machinery  and  financial  assistance  @  80%  of  the project  cost  is  provided  to  the  Cooperative  Societies  of  Farmers,  Farmers  Producers Organization (FPOs) and Panchayats for establishment of Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs) of

these  identified  crop  residue  management  machinery.  The  details  of  State-wise  funds released during each of the last five years is as under:

| Year    | Funds Released (Rs. in Crores)   | Funds Released (Rs. in Crores)   | Funds Released (Rs. in Crores)   | Funds Released (Rs. in Crores)   | Funds Released (Rs. in Crores)   | Funds Released (Rs. in Crores)   |
|---------|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|         | Punjab                           | Haryana                          | Uttar Pradesh                    | NCT of Delhi                     | ICAR & Others                    | Total                            |
| 2018-19 | 269.38                           | 137.84                           | 148.60                           | 0.00                             | 28.51                            | 584.33                           |
| 2019-20 | 273.80                           | 192.06                           | 105.28                           | 4.52                             | 18.48                            | 594.14                           |
| 2020-21 | 272.50                           | 170.00                           | 120.20                           | 0.00                             | 8.00                             | 570.70                           |
| 2021-22 | 331.94                           | 193.35                           | 159.59                           | 0.00                             | 6.02                             | 690.90                           |
| 2022-23 | 278.83                           | 223.46                           | 180.00                           | 1.53                             | 14.28                            | 698.10                           |
| Total   | 1426.45                          | 916.71                           | 713.67                           | 6.05                             | 75.29                            | 3138.17                          |

The States have established more than 37000 Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs) and more than 2.40 lakh crop residue management machines have been supplied to these CHCs and individual  farmers  of  these  States.  The  Indian  Council  of  Agricultural  Research  has developed Pusa bio-decomposer, a microbial consortium of fungal species (both in liquid and  capsule  forms)  for  rapid  decomposition  of  paddy  straw.  Use  of  this  consortium accelerates process of paddy straw decomposition in the field itself and in the year 2022, the decomposer has been used by the States in an around 7.45 lakh hectare area. The satellite-based monitoring indicated that a total 56600 paddy residue burning events were detected in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh in 2022 season which are 31.4% less than those reported in 2021.

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