Proposed Policy to Exclude Stubble Burners from MSP Benefits
The proposed policy to exclude stubble burners from Minimum Support Price (MSP) benefits is a response to the Supreme Court’s 2023 directive to introduce disincentives for stubble burning. This practice, which significantly contributes to air pollution, particularly in Northern India, will face stricter regulations from the 2024-25 Kharif season. Under the new policy, farmers who engage in stubble burning will not receive MSP benefits and will be marked with a ‘red entry’ in farm records. This measure aims to discourage environmentally harmful practices and improve air quality. The policy is being implemented with the help of protocols developed by NSRC and ISRO for accurate tracking of farm fires, although its enforcement faces challenges such as potential farmer protests and the complexity of tracking and penalizing offenders.
