IIM-Rohtak To Evaluate Paddy Residue Management Initiatives in Punjab, Haryana, And UP

With the aim of conveying the effect of air pollution in Delhi and the NCR due to stubble burning in the adjoining States of Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare has executed a Central Sector Scheme on ‘Promotion of Agricultural Mechanization for In-Situ Management of Crop Residue in the States of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and NCT of Delhi’ w. e. f. 2018-19. It will also help in subsidizing machinery required for in-situ management of crop residue.

Under this scheme, from 2018-19 to 2022-23 a huge fund amounting to Rs. 3138 Crores have been released. In this duration, the States have established more than 38000 Custom Hiring Centres for Crop Residue Management machines and more than 2.42 lakh machines have been supplied to these established CHCs and individual farmers of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi NCR.

The Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has joined IIM Rohtak to carry out an assessment of the magnitude of the problem of paddy residue burning in order to evaluate the effects of various initiatives undertaken by these States under this scheme for the period of 5 years.

The assessment also includes an assessment of the average use of each machine available with different entities such as individual farmers, District-wise mapping of available machinery separately for in-situ and ex-situ management, and the analysis of application based on maximum field capacities of the machines.

Evaluation of the quality and cost of in-situ and ex-situ machines supplied under the scheme and quality and cost of machines in the open market is also in the list. Assessment of the available infrastructure and their potential for ex-situ utilization of the straw State-wise and district-wise, assessment of existing gaps for in-situ and ex-situ straw management infrastructure, and assessment of the impact of machine use on reduction in paddy residue burning and assessment of the farmer’s needs through discussion and consultation with farmers and various other stakeholders of this sector.

This initiative is launched to grab the results that would be helpful to further expand and strengthen the infrastructure and activities for crop residue management. The implementation of the scheme will garner greater knowledge, better access, and expanded opportunities for small and marginal farmers.

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