GG News Bureau
Chandigarh, 24th Oct. Punjab has reported 1,638 farm fires this season, marking a 16% decline compared to the same period last year, when 1,946 farm fires were recorded by October 23. Punjab’s Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister, Gurmeet Singh Khudian, attributed the reduction to the joint efforts of the state government and farmers.
“Our initiatives, including the provision of Crop Residue Management (CRM) machines and the appointment of nodal officers, are showing positive results,” said Khudian. He noted that 13,616 CRM machines have been supplied to farmers this year, adding to the total of over 1.43 lakh machines provided since 2018.
Khudian also highlighted that more than 8,000 nodal officers have been appointed to prevent stubble burning and raise awareness. In addition, the government launched the ‘Unnat Kisan’ mobile application, mapping 1.30 lakh CRM machines to assist small and marginal farmers in accessing stubble management equipment.
This year’s stubble management efforts are backed by a ₹500 crore action plan. Stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana is frequently blamed for contributing to the air pollution in Delhi, especially after the paddy harvesting season in October and November.
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