CCEA nod to Rs 1,151.80 crore scheme to address stubble burning

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved a new scheme worth Rs 1,151.80 crore to provide subsidised farm machineries to farmers in Delhi and adjoining states to address stubble burning and curb air pollution in the national capital. The new central scheme will be implemented for two years. Out of the total approved funds, Rs 591.65 crore will be spent in the 2018-19 fiscal and the rest 560.15 crore in the next financial year, an official statement said. The new scheme 'Promotion of agricultural Mechanization for in-situ management of crop residue' with 100 per cent central share will be executed with the Delhi government along with neighbouring states Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana. "The total outgo for the central funds would be Rs 1,151.80 crore," the statement added. The main component of the scheme includes establishment of 'Farm Machinery Banks' for custom hiring of in–situ crop residue management machinery. Under the scheme, financial assistance at 80 per cent of the project cost will be provided to the cooperative societies of the farmers, farmer producers organisation (FPOs), Self Help Groups, registered farmers societies, private entrepreneurs, group of women farmers. Financial assistance at 50 per cent of the machinery cost will be provided to individual farmers. Funds will also be given to various organisations for creating awareness. Under the scheme to be administered by the Union Agriculture Ministry, a national steering committee will be set up to give guidance for implementation of the scheme and it will also monitor and review the progress. At the state level, there will be a nodal implementing agency and also a State Level Executive Committee (SLEC) to implement the scheme and to ensure that no crop residue burning takes place in the farmer field. Whereas, the District Level Executive Committee (DLEC) would be responsible for carrying forward the objectives of the scheme. It will constitute Surveillance Committees involving farmers group/progressive farmers to mobilise farmers for not burning the crop residue and will also ensure active participation of Panchayati Raj Institution. State governments through DLEC will indentify various beneficiaries and location–specific agricultural equipment depending on the farming system. DLEC will identify and select beneficiaries for establishment of farm machinery bank for custom hiring and procurement of machines on individual ownership basis to avail the benefit in transparent and time bound manner.