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New Delhi : Through various efforts under the Central Sector Scheme on ‘Promotion of Agricultural Mechanization for In-Situ Management of Crop Residue in the State of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh & NCT of Delhi’, the satellite data indicates that paddy residue burning events have reduced by 29.5 percent, 24.5 percent and 11.0 percent in the States of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, respectively compared to the paddy residue burning events in 2017.
The Ministry of Power had brought out a policy for biomass utilisation for power generation through co-firing in pulverised coal fired boilers in November 2017. As per the policy, all fluidised bed and pulverised coal units (coal based thermal power plants) except those having ball and tube mill, of power generating utilities, public or private, located in India, shall endeavour to use 5-10% blend of biomass pellets made, primarily of agro residue along with coal after assessing the technical feasibility viz. safety aspects etc. In line with the policy, Central Electricity Authority (CEA) had issued an advisory to all State Governments concerned, power Plants utilities, power equipment manufacturers and other stakeholders to promote use of biomass pellets.
The Ministry of Power, at a meeting held on November 15, 2018, has decided that the States of Haryana and Punjab shall issue bids for all coal based Thermal Power Plants to use minimum 5 percent of biomass pellets and up to 10 percent to be co-fired with coal.
In pursuance to Budget 2018 announcement regarding a special Scheme to support the efforts of the governments of Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and the NCT of Delhi to address air pollution and to subsidise machinery required for in-situ management of crop residue, a new Central Sector Scheme on ‘Promotion of Agricultural Mechanization for In-Situ Management of Crop Residue in the States of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and NCT of Delhi’ for the period from 2018-19 to 2019-20 has also been launched with the total outgo from the Central funds of Rs 1,151.80 crore (Rs 591.65 crore in 2018-19 and Rs 560.15 crore in 2019-20).
During 2018-19, funds amounting to Rs 269.38 crore, Rs.137.84 crore and Rs. 148.60 crore have been released to the Government of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh respectively for distribution of in-situ crop residue management machinery to the farmers on subsidy, establishment of Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs) of in-situ crop residue management machinery and undertaking Information, Education and Communication (IEC) activities for creating awareness among farmers. This information was given by Minister of State for Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Parshottam Rupala, according to a PIB release.