📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Amitabhilash
Agriculture
Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann rejects FIRs on farmer stubble burning, calls for cash aid
✍️ India Today
🗓 20 Sep 2026, 05:46 AM
👁 14
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said the state will not pursue FIRs against farmers for stubble burning and urged the centre to provide immediate cash assistance to affected growers.
Punjab's chief minister, Bhagwant Mann, publicly opposed the filing of first‑information reports against farmers accused of burning crop residue after the harvest season. In a statement released on Thursday, he asserted that the state will not pursue legal action against those engaged in stubble burning, describing the move as counter‑productive for the agrarian community.
Mann highlighted that punitive measures would further strain farmers already grappling with rising input costs and volatile market prices. He argued that the focus should shift from criminalisation to constructive support, emphasizing the need for practical solutions to manage post‑harvest waste.
The chief minister also appealed to the Union government for a direct cash assistance package to compensate farmers for the loss of income and to encourage the adoption of alternative residue‑management practices. He indicated that the state will seek a timely grant to ease the financial burden on cultivators.
While acknowledging the environmental concerns linked to stubble burning, Mann urged a collaborative approach, calling for technology transfer, subsidised equipment, and financial incentives rather than punitive legal action.
Mann highlighted that punitive measures would further strain farmers already grappling with rising input costs and volatile market prices. He argued that the focus should shift from criminalisation to constructive support, emphasizing the need for practical solutions to manage post‑harvest waste.
The chief minister also appealed to the Union government for a direct cash assistance package to compensate farmers for the loss of income and to encourage the adoption of alternative residue‑management practices. He indicated that the state will seek a timely grant to ease the financial burden on cultivators.
While acknowledging the environmental concerns linked to stubble burning, Mann urged a collaborative approach, calling for technology transfer, subsidised equipment, and financial incentives rather than punitive legal action.