The Punjab government has called for an intensified multi-level information and awareness campaign to further reduce paddy straw burning and protect the environment, with officials directed to take the initiative deep into villages and blocks.
The campaign will be supported by a digital and multimedia strategy and will involve NGOs, social workers, Panchayats and farmers to strengthen awareness at the grassroots level. Chairing a meeting on the Paddy Straw Management Strategy, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said sustained government-led efforts had already resulted in a significant decline in paddy straw burning incidents in the state.
Editorial Insight
Key Highlights
Important points readers should notice.
The strategy shifts greater emphasis towards grassroots behavioural change, rather than relying only on enforcement.
Combining village outreach with digital campaigns could help take crop-residue management messaging to a much wider farming community.
Recognition of progressive farmers and Panchayats introduces a community-led incentive approach to environmental protection.
The expected generation of 18.81 million tonnes of paddy straw this season underlines the scale of the residue-management challenge.
According to the figures shared during the meeting, incidents declined by 86 per cent between 2023 and 2025, falling from 36,663 cases in 2023 to 10,909 in 2024 and further to 5,114 in 2025.
Mann said around 30 lakh hectares of paddy have been sown in Punjab this year, which is expected to generate around 18.81 million tonnes of paddy straw. Calling for further progress this year, the Chief Minister said all stakeholders must work together to encourage farmers to adopt sustainable alternatives to stubble burning.
The government has planned extensive awareness activities, including demonstrations of agricultural machinery, Nukkad Nataks, meetings with Sarpanches, pledge-taking programmes and other grassroots initiatives.
Editorial Analysis
Why This Matters
Reducing stubble burning is important for improving air quality and limiting seasonal pollution while encouraging farmers to adopt more sustainable crop-residue management practices.
A large-scale social media outreach campaign is also planned to complement the field-level awareness drive and communicate the benefits of alternatives to burning more widely.
Mann also proposed recognising progressive farmers, best-performing Panchayats and other stakeholders who contribute towards reducing stubble burning and protecting the environment.
The government’s approach combines village-level engagement with digital outreach, machinery demonstrations and community participation, with the aim of making sustainable straw-management practices more accessible and acceptable among farmers.
