Punjab agriculture minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian on Friday said as compared to past years, farm fires have decreased by 53% in the state this year so far.
The government’s persistent efforts have yielded impressive results and the number of fire counts has reduced from 5,798 in 2022 to 2,704 in 2023, which is a 53% decrease, said the official statement.
While addressing the media in Moga, Khudian said ₹350 crore were allocated for stubble management in the budget.
He said this is the result of the efforts initiated by the government at the ground level that this time there have been fewer farm fire incidents in the state, which is a good trend. “Farmers should take it further. This year more than 23,000 agriculture-related machinery has been provided to the farmers on heavy subsidy,” he said.
Commenting on the Punjab farm fire incidents’ effect in the national capital, he said Punjab is 300 km from Delhi. “When this smoke is not going to Haryana or Rajasthan, how has it reached Delhi? This is incomprehensible. Punjab has made a huge contribution to the country’s grain reserves. The farmers of Punjab do not grow paddy only for themselves but the whole country. Proper management of straw has been done by the farmers in the state. The straw is also being sent to Rajasthan and other states as fodder,” he said.
He said that the central government led by BJP is directly responsible for the agricultural issues of Punjab, but the Punjab government is with the farmers.
{{/usCountry}}He said that the central government led by BJP is directly responsible for the agricultural issues of Punjab, but the Punjab government is with the farmers.
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