Executive Summary:
This document summarizes the Indian government's efforts to address stubble burning, particularly in Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. It outlines measures taken to promote alternatives like crop diversification and in-situ residue management through the Crop Residue Management (CRM) Scheme. The document also details financial assistance provided for machinery and the government's collaborative approach with state governments and farmers' organizations to reduce stubble burning via incentives, awareness, and stricter enforcement.
Key Points / Main Content:
Extent and Patterns of Stubble Burning:
* Paddy stubble burning is prevalent in the Indo-Gangetic plains of Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh due to the short window between harvesting paddy and sowing the next Rabi crop.
* Stubble burning incidents are monitored via satellite remote sensing.
* There has been an overall reduction of 75.6% in paddy stubble burning in 2024 compared to 2018.
Promotion of Alternatives:
* The Crop Residue Management (CRM) Scheme is implemented in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and NCT of Delhi since 2018-19 to subsidize machinery for crop residue management.
* Financial assistance is provided for the purchase of crop residue management machines (50% of the cost to farmers) and for establishing Custom Hiring Centers (CHCs) (80% of the project cost up to Rs. 30 lakhs).
* Financial assistance is also given for establishing a supply chain of paddy straw for industries in biomass power generation and biofuel sectors (65% on capital cost of machinery up to Rs. 1.50 crores).
* Promotion of Bio-Decomposer for in-situ decomposition of paddy straw.
* Implementation of Crop Diversification Programme to shift from water-intensive paddy crops to alternate crops, with financial assistance for crop demonstrations.
Financial Assistance and Evaluation:
* Rs. 3926.16 Crore has been released to Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, NCT of Delhi, and ICAR from 2018-19 to 2025-26 (as of July 31, 2025) under the CRM scheme.
* Over 42,000 Custom Hiring Centers (CHCs) have been established.
* Over 3.24 lakh crop residue management machines have been supplied to CHCs and individual farmers.
Collaboration and Enforcement:
* The government is collaborating with state governments and farmers to reduce stubble burning through financial assistance, awareness campaigns, and incentives.
* The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) issued directions on May 9, 2025, for strict implementation of a framework and action plan to prevent and control paddy stubble burning in 2025, targeting its elimination through strict enforcement.
* The Action Plan includes in-situ crop residue management, ex-situ utilization of paddy straw, crop diversification, strict monitoring and enforcement, and extensive awareness campaigns.
Impact Analysis:
State Governments:
Impact: Responsible for implementing the CRM scheme, promoting crop diversification, and enforcing the CAQM's directions to reduce stubble burning.
Action Required: Implement the framework and action plan issued by CAQM, conduct awareness campaigns, and ensure strict monitoring and enforcement to eliminate stubble burning.
Farmers:
Impact: Can benefit from financial assistance for purchasing crop residue management machinery and participating in crop diversification programs. Subject to stricter enforcement against stubble burning.
Action Required: Adopt alternatives to stubble burning, such as using provided machinery, participating in crop diversification, and adhering to regulations to avoid penalties.
End User Industries (Biomass Power Generation, Biofuel):
Impact: Can benefit from financial assistance to establish a robust supply chain of paddy straw.
Action Required: Establish supply chains for paddy straw utilization.
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR):
Impact: Receives financial assistance for research and development related to crop residue management.
Action Required: Continue research efforts and support the implementation of the CRM scheme.
Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM):
Impact: Oversees and directs the efforts to prevent and control paddy stubble burning.
Action Required: Monitor and ensure the effective implementation of the framework and action plan by the respective states.
Key Entities Referenced
SHRI DEEPENDER SINGH HOODA: Member of Parliament who raised the question about stubble burning in Lok Sabha.
SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR: The Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare who provided the answer to the question in Lok Sabha.
Punjab: One of the states in India where paddy stubble burning is mainly practiced.
Haryana: One of the states in India where paddy stubble burning is mainly practiced.
Uttar Pradesh: One of the states in India where paddy stubble burning is mainly practiced.
Crop Residue Management CRM Scheme: A scheme implemented by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare to subsidize machinery for crop residue management in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and NCT of Delhi.
Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas CAQM: An organization that has issued directions for the prevention and control of paddy stubble burning.
Indian Council of Agricultural Research ICAR: An autonomous organisation under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare , Government of India
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4233
TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 19TH AUGUST, 2025
ALTERNATIVES TO STUBBLE BURNING
4233. SHRI DEEPENDER SINGH HOODA:
Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ(cid:874)ष एव ं (cid:873)कसान क(cid:227)याण मं(cid:287)ी
be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has assessed the current extent and regional patterns of
stubble burning in the country, especially in the northern States;
(b) the steps taken by the Government to promote alternatives to stubble burning, such as
crop diversification and in-situ residue management;
(c) whether there has been any evaluation of the effectiveness of subsidies provided for
machinery and equipment under various schemes; and
(d) whether the Government proposes to work in collaboration with State Governments and
farmers' organisations to reduce the incidence of stubble burning through incentives,
awareness campaigns, or stricter enforcement?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
कृ(cid:874)ष एवं (cid:873)कसान क(cid:227)याण रा(cid:207)य म(cid:287)ं ी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)
(a): Paddy stubble burning is mainly practiced in Indo-Gangetic plains of the States of
Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh due to short window between the harvesting of paddy
crop and sowing of next Rabi crop. The active fire events due to paddy residue burning are
monitored using satellite remote sensing by the Consortium for Research on
Agroecosystem Monitoring and Modelling from Space (CREAMS) Laboratory, Division of
Agricultural Physics, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) – Indian Agricultural
Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi. As per their report, the burning events detected
between 15 September to 30 November for the period from 2018 to 2024 is indicated in
below table:
State Incidences of Paddy Stubble Burning in the States (Numbers)
2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Punjab 59664 50735 83002 71304 49922 36650 10909
Haryana 9227 6364 4202 6987 3661 2296 1406
Uttar Pradesh 6623 4230 4631 4242 3017 3985 6142
Total 75514 61329 91835 82533 56600 42931 18457
The overall reduction in paddy stubble burning in year 2024 when compared with
2018 was 75.6 percent.(b): To support the efforts of the states of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and NCT of
Delhi, to address air pollution caused due to paddy stubble burning and to subsidize
machinery required for management of crop residue, the Department of Agriculture and
Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) is implementing Crop Residue Management (CRM) Scheme in
these states from 2018-19. Under this scheme, financial assistance @ 50% of the cost of
machine is provided to the farmers for purchase of crop residue management machines and
@ 80% of the project for projects up to Rs. 30 lakhs is provided for establishment of Custom
Hiring Centres (CHCs) of crop residue management machines. With a view to enable
efficient ex-situ management of paddy straw generated in these states, financial assistance
@ 65% on the capital cost of machinery costing up to Rs. 1.50 crores is provided for
establishing a robust supply chain of paddy straw for various end user industries in biomass
power generation and biofuel sectors. Bio-Decomposer (microbial consortium of fungal
species) is promoted, which accelerates the in-situ decomposition of paddy straw. Crop
Diversification Programme is also implemented in these States to primarily divert the area of
water intensive paddy crop to alternate crops like pulses, oilseeds, coarse cereals, nutri-
cereals, cotton. Assistance is provided to farmers through implementing state governments
for alternate crop demonstrations viz. Rs. 9000/ha for pulses, Rs. 7500/ha for maize and
barley, Rs. 11500/ha for maize hybrid and Rs. 7500/ha for nutri-cereals.
(c): Under the CRM scheme, during the period from 2018-19 to 2025-26 (as on 31 July
2025), an amount of Rs. 3926.16 Crore have been released to the States of Punjab,
Haryana, Uttar Pradesh & NCT of Delhi and ICAR. The States have established more than
42,000 Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs) of crop residue management machines and more
than 3.24 lakh crop residue management machines have been supplied to these CHCs and
individual farmers of these States.
(d): The Government is actively working with state governments and various other
stakeholders including farmers to reduce stubble burning by implementing a multi-pronged
approach, which include financial assistance under CRM scheme for purchase of various
machines and equipments for in-situ and ex-situ management of crop residue and
conducting awareness campaigns. The Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR
and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) has issued direction No. 90 dated 09.05.2025 to the
respective states for strict implementation of the framework and action plan for prevention
and control of paddy stubble burning during the year 2025, targeting to eliminate the
practice through strict enforcement. The Action Plan includes measures like in-situ crop
residue management, ex-situ utilization of paddy straw, crop diversification, strict monitoring
and enforcement, and extensive awareness campaigns, all aimed at reducing the practice of
burning agricultural residue after harvest.
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