Punjab cuts stubble burning by 94% under CM Bhagwant Mann, using Crop Residue Management to boost farmer income and protect soil and air quality.

The Punjab administration triumphantly declared that the number of stubble burning events in the fields had been reduced by an unprecedented 94%. This achievement serves as a model for India and demonstrates the efficacy of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s farmer-first, science-based approach. The number of stubble burning instances decreased from 80,879 in 2016 to just 5,114 in 2025, a 53% decrease from 2024. This accomplishment represents a ten-year battle that has changed Punjab’s reputation as a significant cause of health problems, land degradation, and air pollution.

Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the Union Agriculture Minister, has endorsed the adoption of the Punjab model as a national norm, underscoring the significance of this accomplishment. The long-term, farmer-centered, science-based strategy that prioritized collaboration and solutions over penalties was the key to the success.

Cooperation, assistance, and workable solutions were essential to this achievement. Instead of imposing fines, the government collaborated with the farmers, offering genuine assistance.

The widespread use of contemporary equipment and record subsidies were essential. The most significant move was the Crop Residue Management (CRM) initiative, which was introduced in 2018–19 and provided farmers with cutting-edge equipment such as MB Plows, Happy Seeders, Super Seeders, Mulchers, and Balers. Machine adoption was sluggish at first, but widespread use was prompted by expanded distribution and subsidies for small farmers that climbed from 50% to 80%. By 2025, more than 148,000 CRM machines—including 66,000 Super Seeders—had been distributed, up from 25,000 devices in 2018–19. These devices aid in incorporating the straw into the soil so that wheat can be sown on time.

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Crop residue was transformed from waste into a business through ex-situ methods. According to Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian, the initiative aims to create an ecosystem where farmers comprehend the advantages of non-burning techniques and their influence on long-term output and industrial development. It goes beyond simply supplying technology. The government increased the number of paper mills, bio-CNG facilities, and biomass power plants that purchase stubble directly from farmers. Industries recycled about 2.76 million tons of stubble last year alone, and this year they’re using 7.5 million tons. This circular economy strategy gives farmers another source of revenue.

Crop residue management committees at the village level increased involvement and awareness on the ground. Farmers were informed about the detrimental impacts of stubble burning on soil health and productivity through door-to-door outreach by the agriculture department and municipal authorities. There was a noticeable improvement in attitude. Cooperation among enforcement agencies, the pollution control board, and district officials guaranteed ongoing awareness and the application of the rules without undue penalty. Farmers were kept from burning in desperation by timely crop procurement and steady financial flow.

Since 2006, NASA imaging has been used to maintain strict monitoring through satellite tracking. Despite the fact that 1,963 FIRs were lodged against repeat offenders, enforcement prioritized support above punishment. Formerly pro-burning farmer unions have mostly stopped speaking out. According to Khuddian, farmers are increasingly aware of how stubble fire affects soil fertility over the long run.

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This accomplishment demonstrates that Punjab can simultaneously pursue environmental conservation and farmer welfare under the direction of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. Improving soil health and making sure CRM equipment reaches even the most remote places should be the next priorities, according to the Agriculture Department. This has turned into the most effective anti-pollution program in India, leading the entire nation.