About 31 lakh hectares of paddy and about 20 million tonnes of stubble: the scale Punjab manages, and the six districts set for zero burning

State Focus Punjab Environment Agriculture & Rural Environment & Climate

About 31 lakh hectares of paddy and about 20 million tonnes of stubble: the scale Punjab manages, and the six districts set for zero burning

Background

Punjab's total paddy area is about 31 lakh hectares and the stubble expected from it is about 20 million tonnes.
The Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas reviewed Punjab's preparedness.
The state has a target of reducing stubble burning incidents by at least 50 per cent compared with the previous year.
Bio Decomposer has been applied on 8,000 acres of paddy area.
Six districts are targeted for eliminating stubble burning altogether: Hoshiarpur, Malerkotla, Pathankot, Roopnagar, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar and Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar.
Deputy Commissioners have been asked to map Crop Residue Management machines.

Paddy area: About 31 lakh hectares Stubble expected: About 20 million tonnes Reduction target: At least 50 per cent Bio Decomposer applied: 8,000 acres Districts targeted for zero burning: Six

Why it matters for exams: The paddy area and stubble tonnage give the scale behind Punjab's farm fires, and CAQM's role over NCR and adjoining areas is a standing UPSC question.

UPSCSSC

23 October 2026 Source: News On AIR

In plain words

CAQM Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas — The statutory body that directs air quality measures in the National Capital Region and the states around it.

Bio Decomposer Bio Decomposer — A microbial preparation sprayed on crop residue to rot it in the field instead of burning it.