Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday approved a comprehensive plan for crop residue management in the State to the tune of over Rs. 1,304 crore. The aim of the plan is to prevent stubble burning in the State. The Central Government has provided Rs. 170 crore to the State under this plan this year.
State additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Dept Sanjeev Kaushal, said that the State Government has submitted to the Central Govt an annual action plan to the tune of Rs. 639.10 crore under the scheme ‘Promotion of Agricultural Mechanisation for In-Situ Management of Crop Residue’.
The plan entails in-situ and ex-situ management of crop residue, as well as enforcement measures regarding prohibition on stubble burning. All administrative measures will be taken as the previous year, he added.
Giving details, Kaushal said that the State Government had been taking all possible measures for management of paddy straw in-situ (in the field), including distributing equipment for crop residue management, establishing Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs) and establishing dedicated control room at state headquarters at the Directorate of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare.
Apart from this, an incentive of Rs. 100 per quintal is also being provided to non-Basmati growers for crop residue management within seven days, under the direction of the Supreme Court. The Haryana Government has helped small and marginal farmers growing non-Basmati and Muchal variety of Basmati, by providing enough machines and Rs. 1,000 per acre as operational cost. For these two purposes, the Haryana Government has already provided a sum of Rs. 453 crore in the State Budget.
The Haryana Government has also encouraged establishment of straw bailer units to promote ex-situ management. Under this initiative, 64 such units were established till November 5, 2019, and 131 were established between November 6 and December 11. The State Government has also issued 155 permits to farmers for purchase of such units.
To reiterate the strict stance being taken against stubble burning, the Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department has taken stringent action against stubble burners and officers who have failed to control stubble burning. This includes registration of 2,020 FIRs, suspension of seven officers and charge-sheeting of 23 officers. Besides, 499 show-cause notices were issued to Village Level Nodal Officers.