Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday said the state government will leave no stone unturned to transform the stubble-burning challenges into wealth-creating opportunities.
“Stubble and water management is the need of the hour. Haryana has taken commendable steps to reduce the cases of paddy straw burning,” he said while addressing the workshop on paddy stubble management.
The CM said stubble burning cases have significantly lowered by 40 per cent in Haryana. He said an incentive amount of Rs. 2,500 per tonne on stubble along with other subsidies is being given by the state government to the farmers.
Khattar said the new policy aimed to create a conducive environment for private investment in paddy straw-based biomass power projects, industries, compress biogas plants, waste-to-energy plants, brick kilns, packaging materials, biofuels, etc. to constructively utilise the stubble. He said two lakh metric tonne paddy straw will be consumed in the Bio-Gas plant to be installed in Panipat and more such initiatives are on the cards.
The CM said crop residues are being utilised through various machines and decomposers. “Through all these initiatives, we are ensuring that the income of the farmers can be increased through the stubble,” he added.
Khattar said in Haryana through its ambitious ‘Meri Pani Meri Virasat’ scheme, the government is promoting crop diversification which has substantially supported in conserving water and benefited the farmers at large scale. He farmers have started opting for crops that consume less water.
The CM said to control stubble burning, the state government has implemented a framework that includes in-situ crop residue management, ex-situ management, effective monitoring, enforcement, and a wide reach of information education and communication (IEC) activities is also being ensured. “The state government has also formulated a special framework for stubble management to reduce pollution,” he added.
The CM said incentive amounts and subsidies on straw management equipment are given to the farmers for making stubble bales. This apart, farmers are being given a 50 per cent subsidy on equipment for crop residue management and an 80 percent subsidy on custom hiring centers, he added.
Khattar said Haryana is accelerating towards reducing the effect of stubble burning by 50 percent and more. “The farmers should support the state government for this noble cause by not burning the paddy straw. It is the need of the hour for protecting the environment of the state,” he added.
