Muktsar: Stubble management units not viable, claim owners

Archit Watts

Muktsar, October 25

On one hand the state government is appealing to the farmers to stop burning paddy stubble in the fields, while on the other farmers who have set up huge stubble management plants are facing problems, including delayed subsidy on their machinery and lack of insurance.

Yadwinder Singh Gill, a farmer-turned-entrepreneur from Gurusar village here, said, “We, six friends, had started a paddy stubble management project in 2019 after buying balers, tractors, compress machine, etc. Two of us have already left this business as it is not very profitable. Further, our machinery and product is not eligible for insurance. We have not even got the subsidy for our baler purchased in 2019.”

Similarly, Amardeep Singh Sidhu from Gurusar village said, “Both Centre and the state government should seriously contemplate encouraging more people to start paddy stubble management plants by offering them subsidy. Our final product is either used as fuel in factories or animal feed. It requires huge space for storage, and if kept in the open it gets damaged easily during rain. I have already left the business because it involves huge risk and gives less profit.”

Meanwhile, another entrepreneur Kulbir Singh Chahal from Khunde Halal village, said, “One baler of average quality costs about Rs 15 lakh and the government claims to give 50 per cent subsidy, which is, however, fixed at Rs 5.75 lakh. I had applied for the subsidy of one baler in 2020, but got it about only six-seven months ago.”

On this, Gurpreet Singh, Chief Agriculture Officer, Muktsar, said, “Earlier, the Centre was providing subsidy. Now, the system has changed. The subsidy has never got delayed. I speak to these entrepreneurs in routine and they are really happy and doing a good job.”

Machinery not eligible for insurance

We (six friends) started a paddy stubble management project in 2019 after buying balers, tractors, compress machine, etc. Two of us have already left this business as it is not very profitable. Further, our machinery and product is not eligible for insurance cover. We have not even got subsidy for our baler purchased in 2019. — Yadwinder Singh Gill, farmer-turned-entrepreneur