PUNJAB WITNESSES 70% DROP IN FARM FIRES THIS KHARIF SEASON
- Agriculture Minister attributes the significant reduction to increased mechanization in farming sector
- Farmers procured 16,125 CRM machines out of the 22,582 sanctioned
Chandigarh, November 30: Punjab has recorded a significant 70 percent reduction in farm fires during the current Kharif season, announced Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian here, on Saturday.
As of November 30, 2024, the last day of Kharif season 2024, the Punjab has reported 10,909 incidents of paddy straw burning, a significant decrease from the 36,663 fire incidents reported during the 2023-24 season, he added.
The significant reduction in farm fires can be attributed to increased mechanisation in the agricultural sector, S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian stated while adding that 22,582 sanction letters have been issued to farmers for subsidised Crop Residue Management (CRM) machines, with 16,125 machines already procured by the state farmers. Additionally, 722 Customer Hiring Centres (CHCs) was set up to provide small and marginal farmers with access to CRM machines.
Lauding the farmers who chose to refrain from using matchsticks this year, the Agriculture Minister said, “It’s our collective responsibility to save the environment for our future generations, as stubble burning not only causes air pollution but also reduces the fertility of soil.”