CHANDIGARH: In
Haryana, harvesting of paddy using combine harvesters that don’t have straw management system (SMS) would not be allowed. Apart from this, 108 custom hiring centres (CHCs) for renting farm equipment have so far been set up in Kaithal district and 112 more would be set up by the end of the year.
Haryana agriculture and farmers’ welfare department principal secretary Abhilaksh Likhi confirmed this on Thursday during the inspection of new CHCs being run by Gulab Singh of Kaul village and Rajbir Singh of Sakra village in Kaithal district.
Likhi said the main objective of the SMS was to cut the crop residue into small pieces so that farmers would not have to burn it and they can sow the next crop. Applications for this device can be submitted to the department. He said the government is giving special emphasis to the crop residue management and according to the orders issued by Haryana State Pollution Control Board, installation of super SMS equipment with combine harvesters has been made mandatory.
He said the main purpose of CHCs was to manage crop residue. The state government has made a provision to provide 80% grant on the purchase of agriculture equipment through CHC and 50% grant in case of individual purchase, he added.
The Union government has provided Rs 137 crore for crop residual management in the state.
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