Bhagwant Mann: Every winter, Punjab‘s paddy straw fires put the state at the centre of the Delhi-NCR air pollution debate. This year, the numbers suggest a clear shift.
A Sharp Fall In Farm Fires
According to the Mann government, Punjab recorded only 474 stubble burning incidents in 2026 so far, against 49,922 in 2022. That is a decline of over 93%. Earlier figures show a steady slide, from 36,663 in 2023 to 10,909 in 2024 and 5,114 in 2025. Note that the 2026 figure comes from the state government and was published in October, before the season ended.
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Subsidies On Crop Residue Machines
The state offers a 50% subsidy on equipment for individual farmers and 80% for cooperative societies and panchayats. Disbursal of ₹395 crore for modern crop residue management machinery reached 5,358 beneficiaries, including 4,181 individual farmers, and was linked to a 53% decline during the 2025 Kharif season.
An App To Book Machines
The Unnat Kisan mobile application lets farmers book machines from nearby custom hiring centres, with over 1.30 lakh machines mapped on it. This is aimed at small and marginal farmers who cannot afford to buy their own.
The Season Is Not Over
Independent tracking recorded 574 farm fires in Punjab between September 15 and October 24, 2026, and a later report cited over 700 incidents and 24 First Information Reports (FIRs) by October 27. So the count has been climbing, and the final tally may be higher than the early-season figure.
Cash Incentive And FIR Debate
Bhagwant Mann has said he does not favour FIRs against farmers and wants a cash incentive of ₹3,000 per acre for managing residue. He has also said the Centre declined to share the cost of a proposed per-acre incentive. Farmer leaders have linked his recent statements to the upcoming assembly elections.
