New Delhi/IBNS: The Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare has engaged the Indian Institute of Management, Rohtak as a consultant to assess the impact of various initiatives undertaken by the states for paddy residue management in the last five years.

The Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare implemented the scheme in the Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and NCR of Delhi since 2018-19.

The scheme, a Central Sector Scheme on ‘Promotion of Agricultural Mechanization for Management of Crop Residue, is aimed at addressing air pollution in Delhi and NCR due to stubble burning in the adjoining states of Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh and subsidizing machinery required for in-situ management of crop residue

During the period from 2018-19 to 2022-23, the funds amounting to Rs 3138 crores have been released under this scheme.

The states have established more than 38000 Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs) of Crop Residue Management machines and more than 2.42 lakh machines have been supplied to these established CHCs and individual farmers of the four states.

IIM, Rohtak will conduct district-wise mapping of available machinery separately for in-situ and ex-situ management including assessment of the average use of each machine available with different entities such as individual farmers.

The institute will also conduct an assessment of Societies and Custom Hiring Centres for paddy straw management and the analysis of usage based on optimum field capacities of these machines, assessment of the quality and cost of in-situ and ex-situ machines supplied under the scheme vis–a–vis quality and cost of machines in the open market.

Further assessments of the available infrastructure and their potential for ex-situ utilization of the straw State-wise and district-wise, the impact of machine use on reduction in paddy residue burning, and existing gaps for in-situ and ex-situ straw management infrastructure will be done.

The institute will also suggest the strategic initiatives to be taken by the government including the synergies that may be required at the Central and state level in implementing various initiatives/schemes of different Ministries/Departments and assessment of the farmer’s perception/requirements through exhaustive consultation with farmers and various other stakeholders of this sector.

It is envisaged that the findings through this exhaustive consultation and analysis would be helpful to further expand and strengthen the infrastructure.

The outcomes of the consultation are also expected to suggest the required activities for crop residue management by way of putting in place the support infrastructure for implementing the scheme with greater knowledge, better access and expanded opportunities for small and marginal farmers.