Farm fire incidents across state down 52% since 2020, claims CM Mann

As concerns about air pollution escalate due to an increase in the number of farm fire incidents, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has announced that such incidents have decreased by 52 per cent since 2020.

He claimed the reduction in the number of such incidents was a result of the increased awareness among the people and the government’s subsidy programme for crop-residue management machines, he said.

Chairing a meeting on crop-residue management here on Monday, the CM emphasised the need to further educate farmers about the dangers of burning paddy straw and inform them about the available subsidies for straw-management equipment. He expressed satisfaction that the use of such machines, coupled with an extensive awareness campaign, has significantly curbed farm fire incidents.

There was 30 per cent reduction in farm fires (from 76,929 to 71,159) in 2021 compared to the previous year, and a further 26 per cent reduction (from 71,159 to 49,922) in 2022. The number went down further in 2023 when 36,663 farm fires were recorded.

The state government has launched the “Unnat Kisan” mobile application, which serves as a one-stop platform for farmers to access crop-residue management (CRM) machines ahead of the 2024 paddy harvesting season. The app facilitates easy booking of CRM machines from nearby custom hiring centres (CHCs), particularly benefiting small and marginal farmers.

Over 1.30 lakh such machines have been mapped on the app for farmers’ convenience. To enhance accessibility, village-level nodal officers or cluster heads will pre-assign machines based on farmers’ preferences.

The CM also advocated for the establishment of custom hiring centres (CHCs) at panchayats and other common locations. He directed deputy commissioners to launch an intensive campaign to raise awareness among farmers about the hazards of burning paddy straw.

Under the crop-residue management scheme for 2024-25, the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare in Punjab received 63,904 applications for machinery subsidy through the agrimachinerypb.com portal.

Responding to district-level demand, the portal was reopened from September 13 to 19, resulting in additional 1.07 lakh cumulative applications. The state government aims to distribute 14,000 machines to individual farmers and establish 1,100 custom hiring centres across various districts.