Three-fold rise in registration for crop residue management in Jhajjar

The state government’s efforts to promote stubble management has borne fruit as the district has witnessed an over three-fold increase compared to previous year in the count of farmers who have applied for crop residue management scheme.

Under the scheme, the farmers register on the government portal and are provided an incentive of Rs 1,000 an acre admissible to in-situ and ex-situ management of paddy residue.

So far, 3,930 farmers (for 30,487 acres) have got their land registered to take benefit of the scheme. Last year, 1,090 farmers had done so for 9,300 acres. A special campaign is being carried out across the district to encourage them to adopt the scheme, hence many more farmers are likely to enroll in the coming days, said DC Pradeep Dahiya.

“Round-the-clock tabs are being kept to prevent stubble burning. Three FIRs have been registered so far in the district. As many as 62 teams have been formed to monitor the situation while 75 per cent crop has been harvested in the district,” he said.

Under awareness campaigns, village-level teams were making farmers aware of the benefits of crop residue management and the ill effects of burning stubble. Nodal officers of block and village-level teams were undertaking regular monitoring in collaboration with the police, he said.

Meanwhile, Jitendra Ahlawat, Deputy Director (Agriculture), said the fine for burning crop residue had been increased. “As per new rules, farmers having less than 2 acres will be fined Rs 5,000 while the penalty of Rs 10,000 has been fixed for land between 2 and 5 acres, and Rs 30,000 for over 5 acres," he stated.