Punjab Government Focuses on Stopping Stubble Burning, Awareness Campaign to Be Held in Villages

September 24, 2026

The Punjab government is intensifying its efforts to curb stubble burning, with Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann calling for a comprehensive information and awareness campaign across villages and blocks in the state.

The move comes as Punjab has already recorded an 86 per cent decline in stubble-burning incidents between 2023 and 2025, according to the government. The Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has directed officials to further strengthen these efforts and ensure greater participation from farmers, panchayats, NGOs and social organisations.

Stubble-Burning Incidents Fall by 86 Per Cent

Chairing a meeting on the state’s stubble-management strategy, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said around 30 lakh hectares of land has been sown with paddy this year, generating an estimated 18.81 million tonnes of paddy residue.

According to the figures presented at the meeting, stubble-burning incidents in Punjab declined from 36,663 in 2023 to 10,909 in 2024, before falling further to 5,114 in 2025.

The Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann stressed the need to build on this progress and ensure that the number of stubble-burning incidents declines further this year.

Awareness Campaigns to Reach Villages and Blocks

The Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann directed officials to conduct extensive information and awareness campaigns at the village and block levels to educate farmers about the harmful effects of stubble burning.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said all stakeholders should work together to encourage farmers to adopt sustainable alternatives for managing paddy residue.

The campaign will seek active participation from NGOs, social workers, panchayats, farmers and other rural stakeholders.

Machinery Demonstrations and Street Plays Planned

The Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann called for a wide range of grassroots activities to ensure that the message reaches farmers effectively.

These activities will include:

Demonstrations of stubble-management machinery

Street plays and awareness programmes

Meetings with village sarpanches

Pledge-taking ceremonies

Other village-level awareness initiatives

The Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said NGOs and social workers should be actively involved in motivating farmers and strengthening efforts to prevent stubble burning.

Social Media and Multimedia Campaign to Be Expanded

Alongside grassroots initiatives, the Punjab government will adopt a comprehensive digital and multimedia strategy to spread awareness.

The campaign will make use of radio jingles, print media, television, mobile SMS and outdoor media to reach farmers and rural communities.

A large-scale social media campaign will also be conducted to highlight the harmful effects of stubble burning and inform farmers about available residue-management options.

Progressive Farmers and Panchayats to Be Recognised

The Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann also emphasised the importance of recognising farmers and rural institutions that demonstrate effective stubble-management practices.

Progressive farmers, high-performing panchayats, Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) and other stakeholders will be considered for recognition for their contributions.

The Punjab government expects such recognition to encourage others to adopt better practices and help turn stubble management into a collective effort.

Focus on In-Situ and Ex-Situ Stubble Management

The Punjab government has also stressed the importance of both in-situ and ex-situ management of paddy residue.

In-situ management involves managing stubble within the field, while ex-situ management involves collecting and utilising the residue outside the field.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said farmers should be provided with practical and sustainable alternatives to stubble burning so that they can benefit economically while also helping protect the environment.

Better Coordination Among Departments and Districts

Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann called for close coordination among all stakeholders and districts to ensure effective implementation of the stubble-management strategy.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann directed every department and stakeholder involved in the programme to work in coordination so that the campaign can be implemented smoothly and the desired results achieved.

Senior Officials Attend Review Meeting

The meeting was attended by Cabinet Ministers Gurmeet Singh Khudian and Hardeep Singh Mundian, Chief Secretary K.A.P. Sinha, Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology K.K. Yadav, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Dr Ravi Bhagat, Agriculture Department Secretary Arshdeep Singh Thind, and other senior officials.