Haryana is taking proactive steps to turn paddy straw into a valuable source of income for farmers, says the Chief Secretary Sanjeev Kaushal. He announced a common determined rate of Rs 2,500 per metric tonne for paddy straw and financial support for in-situ/ex-situ techniques as well as the Direct Seeded Rice technique in paddy cultivation. The state has successfully reduced farm fires by about 40% compared to the previous year, reflecting its commitment to sustainable agricultural practices and mitigating environmental challenges.
During a meeting chaired by Kaushal, the state’s preparedness for tackling paddy straw burning was reviewed. With a goal of zero farm fires, the government notified a CDR of Rs 2,500 per metric tonne, with an additional Rs 500 per metric tonne for moisture content below 20%. Haryana provides several financial supports to farmers, including Rs 1,000 per acre for in-situ/ex-situ techniques, Rs 7,000 per acre under Mera Pani Meri Virasat scheme, and Rs 4,000 per acre for the DSR technique in paddy cultivation. All these initiatives aim to support farmers in maximizing their income while promoting sustainable agricultural practices in the state.
Kaushal emphasized the importance of converting paddy straw into biofuel and utilizing it in industrial units throughout Haryana. The state government’s target is to utilize 13,54,850 metric tonnes of paddy straw for this purpose.
The meeting also discussed the need to reduce air pollution by minimizing incidents of stubble burning. District administration officers need to provide modern agricultural machinery to farmers to manage stubble properly. Farmers from nearby districts should also be made aware of the ethanol plant set up at Indian Oil Corporation Limited at Panipat for stubble management. The government of India has allocated Rs 300 crore for the promotion of agricultural mechanisms for in-situ management of crop residue in Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and NCT Delhi under the Crop Residue Management scheme.
Kaushal urged Deputy Commissioners to keenly engage with farmers’ unions and raise awareness about the detrimental effects of stubble burning through information, education, and communication activities in all districts. Educational institutions, religious organizations, and village panchayats should also be involved in raising awareness about this issue. The Deputy Commissioners should convene separate meetings with concerned officers every 15 days, he added.
These initiatives demonstrate Haryana’s commitment to promoting sustainable agricultural practices and utilizing agricultural waste productively, the statement concluded.
