Mann Opposes FIRs Against Stubble-Burning Farmers, Backs Cash Incentive Demand

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has come out in defence of farmers ahead of the post-harvest period, when paddy stubble burning in northern states is widely linked to the severe winter pollution that blankets Delhi-NCR.

Speaking at a Kisan Mela at Punjab Agricultural University in Ludhiana on Friday, Mann said he was not in favour of registering cases against farmers who burn crop residue. He also backed, in principle, a long-standing demand by paddy growers for a cash incentive of Rs 3,000 per acre to manage stubble.

The chief minister directed his criticism at the BJP-led Centre, arguing that while Punjab contributes 180 lakh metric tonnes of paddy to the central pool, the volume of stubble generated from that crop is not taken into account. He said the Centre's response has been to suggest filing FIRs against farmers.

Mann said he has conveyed to the central government that farmers do not want to burn straw, since the smoke affects them directly, and that financial incentives should be provided for its management.

Cross-border dig

Mann also referred to Maryam Nawaz, the chief minister of Pakistan's Punjab province, who he said intended to write to him about smoke affecting Lahore. He questioned why only Indian Punjab was being blamed, pointing out that emissions from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh also contribute to the problem, and accused critics of trying to defame the state.

"I do not feel like registering FIRs against farmers," he said in Punjabi, adding that the situation should be handled in a way that no action becomes necessary.

Under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, FIRs are filed each year against farmers who burn stubble. Those found guilty face fines as environmental compensation and a red entry in revenue records, which can block access to loans or the sale of farmland.

Punjab recorded an 86 per cent decline in stubble fire incidents between 2023 and 2025. The issue remains politically charged, with Punjab and, to a lesser extent, Haryana often held responsible for winter smog in Delhi-NCR from October onwards. The narrow window between the paddy harvest in October-November and sowing of the Rabi wheat crop leads many farmers to burn the residue to clear their fields quickly.

Farm unions seek action

Farm union leaders linked Mann's remarks to assembly elections due in about six months. Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) general secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan urged the government to first cancel FIRs already registered against farmers for stubble burning. BKU (Lakhowal) leader Harinder Singh Lakhowal echoed the demand for cash incentives.

The state government runs awareness campaigns at the village and block levels and provides residue management machinery on subsidy. Farmers contend that these measures are not enough and that a cash incentive would help them manage stubble more effectively.