Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav, jointly chaired a high-level meeting in New Delhi to review the progress of stubble management initiatives and strategies to mitigate air pollution caused by crop residue burning.
The meeting, held at Krishi Bhavan, was attended virtually by Agriculture Ministers of Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, along with Delhi’s Environment Minister. Senior officials including Agriculture Secretary Dr. Devesh Chaturvedi and ICAR Director General Dr. M. L. Jat also participated.
The discussions focused on enhancing farmer awareness, promoting direct seeding, strengthening monitoring mechanisms, and ensuring effective fund utilisation for machinery and support schemes. The ministers also deliberated on crop diversification and the industrial use of paddy residue to prevent open burning.
Chouhan underlined that awareness and participation at the grassroots are essential to achieve long-term results. He called on panchayats, local representatives, and nodal officers to engage directly with farmers and spread information about sustainable stubble disposal techniques. “Continuous and coordinated efforts between the Centre and states are key to achieving tangible improvements,” he said.
Emphasising practical solutions, the Agriculture Minister urged states to encourage direct sowing of wheat, announcing that he will personally adopt direct sowing practices on October 12 to inspire farmers to follow suit. He further advocated the use of rotavators, choppers, bio-decomposers, and mulching machines, while highlighting opportunities in bio-CNG and ethanol production for effective residue management.
Chouhan also directed states to ensure optimal use of available funds so that the availability of stubble management equipment is not a constraint for farmers. He recommended linking bio-CNG units, compost and pellet plants, and industries to strengthen the crop residue collection and disposal ecosystem.
Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav appreciated the efforts of state governments and urged closer coordination between the Ministries of Agriculture and Environment over the next ten days. He stressed the importance of collection and storage of stubble for its industrial application in brick kilns and thermal plants, promoting a circular economy approach.
Both ministers reiterated that with sustained coordination, technology adoption, and farmer participation, incidents of stubble burning will see a marked reduction, contributing to cleaner air and improved climate resilience.
Source: PIB Delhi
