Proposed Policy to Exclude Stubble Burners from MSP Benefits

May 9, 2024

In 2023, the Supreme Court insisted on introducing disincentives for stubble burning, majorly affecting the perennial problem of air pollution. Reacting to this, the Central Government has directed a halt on Minimum Support Price (MSP) benefits to farmers who engage in stubble burning. This decision is informed by a goal to discourage a practice detrimental to environmental health and air quality, particularly in Northern India.

Government Initiatives and Actions

The central directive facilitates the exclusion of farmers practicing stubble burning from receiving MSP benefits from 2024-25. This was articulated following a recommendation from the Committee of Secretaries (CoS) in their meeting on April 10, chaired by the Cabinet Secretary. In addition, a significant push was for the ‘red entry’ mark in farm records, identifying and recording farmers practising stubble burning. This system was endorsed to be streamlined using a protocol developed with the assistance of NSRC and ISRO for accurate tractability of farm fires.

Implementation and State Involvement

To enable these new regulations, the Department of Food and Public Distribution (DoFPD) issued communications to the chief secretaries of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, NCT of Delhi, and Rajasthan. These letters, dated January 5 and 30, 2024, discuss mechanisms both to penalize via record entries and subsequently exclude offending farmers from MSP benefits at the next Kharif season (2024-25).

Challenges in Enforcement and Farmer Reactions

Enforcement of these measures is complex. The politically charged backdrop against which these decisions are made involves farmer protests that previously erupted in 2020-21, specifically addressing penalties such as these. Effective management and fair enforcement remain pivotal, with only 2.6% of cases recorded in Punjab’s farm records as of last evaluation.

Future Outlook

With a potential increase in paddy cultivation areas in states like Punjab and Haryana from 2023 to 2024, the matter of managing stubble and effective compliance with new MSP rules becomes even more crucial. The government continues to seek ways to enforce these measures more tightly and efficiently, ensuring that the efforts to tackle the stubble burning issue do not just remain on paper but translate into visible environmental benefits.

« Previous Post Next Post »