Don’t Burn Stubble! Government Offers ₹1,200 per Acre — Apply Now and Reap the Benefits

Krishi Dunia

• 07 Oct, 2025 12:46 PM IST ,
• Updated Wed, 08 Oct 2025 11:34 AM

In a strong move towards sustainable farming, farmers in Ambala district (Haryana) have responded enthusiastically to the government’s stubble management initiatives this year. A total of 37,061 farmers have registered for the scheme, covering around 2.20 lakh acres of paddy fields.

 Financial Assistance for Farmers

Under the state’s stubble management program, farmers are being provided ₹1,200 per acre for both In-Situ (managing residue within the field) and Ex-Situ (removing residue for external use) methods.
The scheme is being implemented through the ‘Meri Fasal Mera Byora’ portal, making the application process simple and transparent.

• In Ambala, paddy has been cultivated on approximately 2.46 lakh acres this season.
• So far, about 45% of the paddy crop has been harvested.

 Strict Monitoring to Curb Stubble Burning

According to Dr. Jaswinder Saini, Deputy Director of Agriculture, Ambala, not a single case of stubble burning has been reported so far this year.
In contrast, 9 cases were recorded during the same period last year, which eventually rose to 99 cases by the end of the season.

This positive change is the result of government’s strict enforcement combined with growing awareness among farmers.

 Awareness Drives Across Villages

To ensure the success of the stubble management initiative, 639 nodal officers have been deployed across villages.

• These officers are educating farmers about the impact of stubble burning on soil health and air quality.
• Awareness camps are being organized in every village to encourage farmers to adopt sustainable residue management practices.

 Unseasonal Rain Adds to Farmers’ Woes

Unexpected rainfall on Monday has created fresh challenges for farmers:

• Standing crops in fields and paddy stored in mandis got wet.
• This has delayed harvesting and affected the grain quality.
• Jasbir Singh, a farmer from Hamidpur village, said that heavy rain and winds flattened his crop, increasing harvesting costs.

 Paddy Arrivals and Procurement in Mandis

• So far, 1.95 lakh metric tonnes of paddy have arrived at 15 grain mandis and procurement centers in Ambala district.
• Out of this, 1.53 lakh metric tonnes have already been procured.
• Around 63,418 metric tonnes have been lifted from the mandis.

 Protecting Paddy from Rain Damage

Neeraj Bhardwaj, Secretary of Ambala Cantonment Grain Mandi, said that during the rains, the paddy stored in mandis was covered with tarpaulin sheets to prevent damage.

• As soon as the weather cleared, the procurement process resumed smoothly.

 Farmers’ Awareness Driving Change

By choosing stubble management over burning, farmers in Ambala are setting an example for others:

• It helps control air pollution.
• It preserves soil fertility for future crops.
• Even though the weather has posed challenges, farmers and the administration are working together to overcome them.

Conclusion

The farmers of Ambala have taken a commendable step by embracing government-backed stubble management schemes. The combined impact of financial incentives and strong awareness campaigns is clearly visible on the ground.

If this initiative continues to succeed in other districts as well, the problem of stubble burning can be significantly reduced, benefiting both farmers and the environment.