Payment for not burning stubble?

Business Standard     2nd November 2020     Save    

Context: The government policy to stop stubble burning through payments to the farmers is regressive in nature.

Problems related to giving payment for not burning stubble

  • It will be a perverse incentive:  It may promote what is wrong: For, E.g. the Punjab government disbursement of payments to stop stubble burning has actually led to the rise of it.
  • Increased moral hazard: There will be a demand to raise the reward every year.

Way Forward: Alternative ways to deal with stubble burning

  • Take steps to increase the time period between harvesting paddy and sowing the next wheat crop: Government has shortened this period citing the reason of overexploitation of groundwater. 
  • Provide Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Basmati paddy: Stubble of basmati paddy is not burnt because it can be used for fodder, but farmers do not prefer it due to lack of MSP.
  • Provide machines to plough back the straw into the ground: Tilling biomass back into the ground would also improve soil fertility.
  • For, E.g. in Punjab alone, some 50,000 machines had been given at 80 % subsidy to custom-hiring centres and to individual farmers. 
  • Provide value to the biomass: Biomass can be used to generating power and Compressed Biogas (CBG).
  •  Use a straw to replace coal in old power plants: This would help to extend the life of the built infrastructure and will reduce environmental costs.
  • Positive steps in this direction include -  
  • The first CBG project will go online by early 2021, and many more are in the pipeline.
  • Reserve Bank of India put CBG on its list of priority sector lending, and the State Bank of India has circulated a loan scheme for this
  •  Oil companies have agreed on a buy-back rate of Rs 46/kg for five years.
  • Diversification of cropping pattern.

Conclusion: To justify that farmers must burn the stubble if they are not paid cash incentive is doing injustice to them and to the lungs of the children of the country.