'Stubble burning' check with just 500 machines in Punjab

Punjab which saw stubble burning problem since long has been facing lots of debates and discussions. Last year, around 43,800 stubble burning cases were reported after the paddy harvesting. The State Government had placed an order for 14,026  machines such as Happy Seeders, Super Straw Management Systems for cutting of left over straw in paddy field but till date it has received only 500 machines on subsidized rate. 

As per official records the subsidy on the machine is 50 percent if purchased from individual farmers and 80 percent if purchased from official  or cooperative groups. 1.151 crore scheme has been launched by the centre to promote paddy straw management. The state was allotted a budget of Rs 695 crore to be spent in two financial years (2018-20). The remaining amount was meant for Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi.

Under the plan, the users were to deposit the subsidized amount with the Agriculture Department, which would then place the orders with makers once their application were cleared. Punjab pollution control board member secretary Karunesh Garg said "Supplying such big machines in a short span of time is a difficult task adding that farmers will be imposed to fines and challans on burning paddy field".