In a major move to eliminate stubble burning, the Punjab Government has announced a ₹500 crore action plan to support farmers with crop residue management (CRM) machinery and sustainable practices. The initiative aims to bring stubble burning down to zero by providing modern equipment at subsidised rates.
Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian said that online applications are now open for farmers who wish to avail subsidies on CRM machines. Applications can be submitted between April 22 and May 12 on the portal agrimachinerypb.com.
The government is offering a 50% subsidy to individual farmers and 80% subsidy to Farmer Groups, Cooperative Societies, and Gram Panchayats. The goal is to make CRM equipment more accessible and encourage farmers to adopt eco-friendly methods to manage paddy straw.
Dr. Basant Garg, Administrative Secretary of the Agriculture Department, highlighted the success of past efforts, stating that 17,600 CRM machines were distributed last season, and 1,331 custom hiring centres (CHCs) were set up across the state. These initiatives led to a 70% drop in stubble burning cases compared to 2023.
The state government’s renewed push reflects its commitment to sustainable agriculture and environmental protection, while supporting farmers with the tools they need for responsible farming.
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