Punjab plans to give cash to farmers for not burning stubble: CM

| | New Delhi
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Punjab plans to give cash to farmers for not burning stubble: CM

Thursday, 28 July 2022 | Staff Reporter | New Delhi

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday said the Punjab Government has sent a proposal to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to give cash incentives to farmers in the border State for not burning stubble. 

The proposal says Rs 2,500 per acre should be given to farmers in Punjab to wean them away from stubble burning, the Chief Minister said after inaugurating charging stations for electric vehicles.

“The Punjab Government has sent a proposal to the Air Quality Commission as per which the farmers will be provided a cash incentive of Rs 2.5 thousands per acre for not burning their paddy stubble.

They are free to use technology of their choice,” he said. As per the proposal, the Punjab Government has proposed that it will give Rs 500, Delhi Government will give Rs 500 and the Central Government can give Rs 1.5 thousand. Whenever the Air Quality Commission will take decision, the Delhi Government will implement the same. “We are ready to do everything possible to protect the environment as we are committed to provide a healthy environment to the people of Delhi,” he said. The AAP Governments in Punjab and Delhi plan to provide cash incentive to farmers in the border state for not burning stubble and have requested the Centre to share the cost.  Paddy straw burning in Punjab and Haryana is a major reason behind the alarming spike in air pollution levels in the national capital in October and November.  Punjab generates around 20 million tons of paddy straw annually.  "Delhi will share the cost since smoke from farm fires impact air quality in the national capital," a Punjab government official had said.  He had said the Punjab and Delhi governments will implement the scheme even if the Centre doesn't agree. Under a Centre-sponsored scheme, farm machinery is provided to farmers at a subsidised rate for in-situ management of the stubble. The governments of Punjab and Haryana had announced a bonus of Rs 2,500 an acre for small and marginal farmers in 2019 too, following the Supreme Court's suggestion to incentivise farmers to stop farm fires. According to Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Punjab had reported 71,304 farm fires between September 15 and November 30 last year and 83,002 farm fires in the corresponding period in 2020. Last year, the share of farm fires in Delhi's PM 2.5 pollution had peaked to 48% on November 7.

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