20 september 2024 : For the past six years, the Punjab state government has had a comprehensive plan for managing crop residue, particularly paddy straw, and this year is no exception. However, the key concern is whether the plan will be effectively implemented, especially with ex-situ stubble management facing hurdles due to ongoing farmer protests.
This year, an estimated 19.52 million metric tonnes (MMT) of paddy straw is expected to be produced from 31.54 lakh hectares of paddy cultivation (both basmati and non-basmati). While a plan for scientific management of the entire crop residue has been prepared, its execution may be challenging. Delays in delivering stubble-management machinery, public protests preventing the establishment of compressed biogas plants, and a lack of directives from farmer unions discouraging stubble burning are complicating the process.
Availability of Machines:
- 1,38,022 machines supplied from 2018-2023
- 41,328 applications received for machines this year
- 14,596 applications sanctioned
- 6,597 machines delivered to farmers so far
The Plan:
- 12.70 MMT for in-situ stubble management
- 5.96 MMT for ex-situ stubble management
- 0.86 MMT to be used as animal fodder
Ex-Situ Management:
- 3.1 MMT for industrial boilers
- 1.17 MMT for biomass power plants
- 0.54 MMT for compressed biogas (CBG) plants
- 0.20 MMT for bio-ethanol plants
- 0.77 MMT for thermal power plants
- 0.18 MMT for brick-kilns
Straw Utilization Efforts:
- 36 new industrial units to use 10.28 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of straw as fuel
- 21 new pellet manufacturing units to process 4.75 LMT of straw
- Policy in progress to promote the use of paddy straw in distilleries
- Bio-decomposers will manage straw on 8,000 acres of farmland
- Efforts to replace PUSA 44 variety with PR 126 for better straw management
Despite a policy outlining strict measures against farmers who burn stubble, the government has taken a lenient approach in recent years, likely due to the political sensitivity of alienating farmers, who represent a significant vote bank. With only two weeks left until the paddy harvest, the government aims to manage at least 12.70 MMT of straw through in-situ methods. Of the target 36,020 stubble-management machines to be distributed this year, 14,596 have been sanctioned, and 6,597 have already been acquired by farmers. These are in addition to the 1,38,022 machines provided across the state from 2018 to 2023 under a central scheme promoting agriculture mechanization for in-situ crop residue management.
