Lok Sabha Question No. 2519 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-18
Subject: Alternative to Stubble-Burning
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Khagen Murmu, Rajiv Pratap Rudy

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 2519

TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.12.2023

## Alternative to Stubble-Burning

## 2519. SHRI KHAGEN MURMU: SHRI RAJIV PRATAP RUDY:

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

- (a) the  measures  initiated  by  the  Government  to  reduce  stubble-burning  incidents  in  the country;
- (b) the steps taken/proposed to be taken, periodic targets and mechanism of accountability and compliance;
- (c) the  details  of  technologies  and  collaborations  employed  for  finding  alternatives  to stubble-burning in the country;
- (d) whether the  Government  has  promoted  alternatives  to  stubble-burning  in  rural  areas, specially in Saran District of Bihar and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the  details  of  funds  allocated  towards  R&D  for  alternatives  to  stubble-burning  in  the country?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (e)

In  order  to eliminate stubble burning during harvesting season various measures have been identified for In-situ and Ex-situ management of crop residue for the country including the state  of  Bihar.  In-situ  Crop  Residue  Management  is  done  through  the  Crop  Residue Management Machinery and use of PUSA bio-decomposers. Pusa Decomposer is developed by Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). It is a  microbial consortium of fungal species (both in liquid and capsule forms) for rapid decomposition of paddy straw. Use of this consortium supports the degradation process of stubble which is cut and spread evenly on the field  and  accelerates process  of  paddy  straw  decomposition  in  the  field  itself.  Pusa Decomposer plays an important role in in-situ and ex-situ decomposition of paddy straw.

Under Ex-situ Crop Residue Management alternate use of the crop residue is promoted like use of paddy straw as an economic resource in Biomass Power Projects, Co-firing in Thermal Power plants,  Feed  stock for  2G  Ethanol  plants,  Feed  stock  in  Compressed  Biogas  plants, Fuel in Industrial Boilers / Waste to Energy plants / Brick Kilns, Packaging materials, Agripanels, Compost and Processed cattle fodder etc. The issue of stubble burning is predominant in the Delhi NCR states and special measures have been taken for prevention and control of the same. The measures taken to address the Stubble burning are given as Annexure- I .

## The measures taken to address the Stubble burning are:

1. Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare (MoA&FW) in 2018 launched scheme for providing subsidy for purchase of crop residue management machinery and establishment of custom hiring centres (CHCs) in the States of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and NCT of Delhi. During 2018-2022, total fund released to the states under the said scheme is Rs. 2440.07 crores using which, over 2 lakh crop residue machineries have been delivered to individual farmers and CHCs, and over 39,000 CHCs have been established.
2. Central  Pollution  Control  Board  (CPCB)  has  framed  guidelines  for  providing  one-time financial  assistance  for  setting  up  of  paddy  straw  based  pelletization  and  torrefaction plants which may help in addressing the supply chain issues and the issue of open burning of paddy straw in agriculture fields in Northern Region. A maximum amount of Rs. 28 lakhs  or  40%  of  the  capital  cost  considered  for  plant  and  machinery  of  a  1  TPH pellitisation  plant,  whichever  is  lower,  shall  be  given  as  onetime  financial  support  by CPCB,  subject  to  a  maximum  total  financial  support  of  Rs.  1.4  crore  per  proposal. Similarly, a maximum amount of Rs. 56 lakhs or 40% of the capital cost considered for plant and machinery of a 1 TPH torrefaction plant, whichever is lower, shall be given as onetime financial support by CPCB, subject to a maximum total financial support of Rs. 2.8  crore  per  proposal.  A  corpus  of  Rs.  50  crores  have  been  earmarked  for  utilisation through the guidelines. A total of 10 plants have been approved so far.
3. CPCB  has  also  issued  an  addendum  to  the  guidelines  under  which  one-time  financial assistance is provided to Municipal Corporations, Municipal Councils and Zilla Parishads of the states of Punjab, Haryana, NCT of Delhi and NCR districts of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, for establishing paddy straw based briquetting plants for use of briquettes for cremation purpose only.
4. Directions  issued  by  Commission  for  Air  Quality  Management  in  National  Capital Region and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) to State governments of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh  to  strictly  and  effectively  implement  framework  and  revised  action  plan  to eliminate and control stubble burning.
5. From 10.11.2023 onwards, 33 scientists of CPCB were deployed as flying squads by the CAQM for intensifying monitoring and enforcement actions towards prevention of paddy stubble burning incidents in 22 districts of Punjab and 11 districts of Haryana. The flying squads  have  coordinated  with  the  state  Government/  nodal  officers/  officers  from respective Pollution Control Boards towards prevention and control of stubble burning in their respective districts and sent reports to CAQM.
6. CAQM has issued directions permitting use of PNG or biomass as industrial fuel in NCR except  Delhi  where  only  PNG  is  permitted  as  industrial  fuel.  CAQM  has  also  issued directions  for  co-firing  of  5-10%  biomass  with  coal  in  thermal  power  plants  located within 300 kms of Delhi, and, in captive power plants of industrial units located in NCR.