Agri dept unable to provide subsidy on stubble mgmt
TARN TARAN: Owing to the strict National Green Tribunal (NGT) regulations for stubble burning, the small and medium state farmers may have to bear the brunt.
Meanwhile, the state government assured the border district farmers of providing subsidies on different straw management equipments.
Even though the harvesting process has started but the agricultural department is facing fund crunch.
Agricultural department sources said, “The Punjab farmers will have to spend more on machines to manage stubble residue.”
Chief agriculture officer (CAO) Dr Partap Singh said, “The department provides 50% subsidy on super SMS machine (cuts straw into pieces).”
But the department lacks funds to subsidise equipments like happy seeder, drill machine, malchar, chopper, baler, etc to manage the crop residue.
An official requesting anonymity said “Marginal farmers lack money to spend on stubble management. The administration will fine them if they burn the stubble. So they are in jeopardy.”
He said, “There are 400-500 combines in the district and the super SMS machine can only be used with combines, so, out of 62,000 district farmers only those with combines can get the machinery on subsidy.”
He said, “Other machineries can only be used with big tractors and mostly farmers here cannot afford those.”
Tarn Taran based farmer Satnam Singh said that they are asked to avoid stubble burning and let it decay overtime.
“But it takes four to five weeks and by then the sowing time for peas and potato crops will pass,” said Singh.
Another farmer said, “The government should give Rs 200 per quintal or Rs 6,000 per acre compensation on paddy so that the farmers can manage their crop residue.”
Kisan Sangharsh Committe leader Kawalpreet Singh Pannu said, “If the government does not give compensation to us, we will continue the stubble burning.”