Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: The Government allocated Rs 544.15 crore under the Crop Residue Management (CRM) scheme for 2026-27, out of which the first instalment of Rs 272.07 crore has already been released, according to Agriculture Ministry.
The CRM scheme was started in 2018-19 to deal with the problem of stubble burning. Since then, a total financial assistance of Rs 4,266.47 crore has been provided to Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
With this assistance, more than 3.54 lakh crop residue management machines have been distributed in the states and more than 43,500 Custom Hiring Centres have been established, according to Agriculture Ministry.
Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav, chaired a high-level inter-ministerial meeting on stubble management and its permanent solution.
It reviewed the progress made under the CRM scheme and the preparedness of states for effective management of paddy stubble during the upcoming harvesting season.
Shivraj Singh said that stubble burning not only pollutes the environment but also affects the health of Mother Earth.
“It destroys beneficial insects, reduces soil fertility and has an adverse impact on public health due to pollution. From this point of view, it is extremely necessary to stop it,” he added.
Shivraj also said that the states have set ambitious targets for the current year, which include distribution of more than 46,000 crop residue management machines, establishment of 910 Custom Hiring Centres and development of 141 stubble supply chain projects.
