Madhya Pradesh Takes Tough Stance on Stubble Burning: Farmers Face Consequences
Government's New Measures Against Stubble Burning
Bhopal: In a decisive move, the Madhya Pradesh government has announced the suspension of benefits under the 'Kisan Samman Nidhi' scheme for farmers who engage in the burning of wheat or other crop residues.
Kailash Vijayvargiya, the State Urban Development Minister, emphasized the government's commitment to environmental protection while also indicating that legal actions against farmers will be minimized.
He stated, "Farmers who continue to burn stubble will not only lose their produce procurement rights but also the annual 'Kisan Samman Nidhi' payments."
Additional benefits may also be at risk, according to the minister.
The 'PM Kisan Samman Nidhi' scheme provides farmers with an annual sum of Rs 6,000, distributed in three installments of Rs 2,000 each, while wheat is bought at Rs 2,600 per quintal, which includes a bonus of Rs 175 for the current Rabi season.
Despite these measures, Madhya Pradesh has recorded the highest number of stubble burning incidents in the country, even exceeding Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.
Data from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research-Consortium for Research on Agroecosystem Monitoring and Modelling from Space (ICAR-CREAMS) indicates that the state experienced 28,705 stubble burning incidents, resulting in 281,171 Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) across its 50 districts as of April 28.
CREAMS utilizes satellite technology to monitor stubble burning across India, highlighting the ongoing severity of this issue.
For instance, between April 1 and April 17, Madhya Pradesh reported an alarming 13,411 incidents, while Punjab recorded only 13. By April 28, Punjab had seen just 444 incidents across 23 districts, starkly contrasting with Madhya Pradesh's figures.
Efforts to mitigate this practice are intensifying, with written appeals and video campaigns urging farmers to cease post-harvest stubble burning being widely circulated. However, in 2024 alone, Madhya Pradesh has already documented 11,382 incidents of this detrimental practice.
Sheopur district in Madhya Pradesh topped the list with 2,508 cases, while Sangrur in Punjab followed with 1,725.
Recent satellite data also revealed 176,237 fire incidents related to stubble burning across 177 districts in five major wheat-producing states, underscoring the scale of this environmental crisis and the urgent need for action.