Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister S. Gurmeet Singh Khudiya told the Central Government that it is not enough to just accept the success of Punjab in stopping the cases of stubble burning but the Center should now do justice to the state by releasing the pending financial dues of the state.

Speaking about the data presented in the Lok Sabha by the Union Minister of State for Environment, Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh, which confirmed a collective reduction of more than 90 percent in the incidents of crop burning in Punjab and Haryana by the year 2022, Mr. Gurmeet Singh Khudiya said that the Central Government has finally accepted the truth but it is unreasonable for them to withhold the dues of Rs 8800 crore of Rural Development Fund (RDF).

He remarked that it is ridiculous that the farmers of Punjab are putting in their hard work to control the incidents of stubble burning and are also boasting to the country as the “food providers” of the country, but the Central Government is refusing to pay its legitimate dues to the state.

Speaking about this confirmation from the Central Government, Agriculture Minister Khudiya said that the figures have completely silenced those critics who continuously target the farmers of Punjab and hold the state responsible for the air pollution crisis in North India. Those who launched a defamation campaign against Punjab and claimed that stubble burning will never end should now take back their words.

The Agriculture Minister said, “For years, our farmers were maligned and Punjab was held solely responsible for Delhi’s deteriorating air quality. Now, the Central Government’s own satellite data, which has been formally tabled in Parliament, has refuted all false statements. More than 90 per cent of the shortfall has been confirmed by the Centre, which is based on scientific evidence.”

Agriculture Minister S. Khudiyan highlighted the active efforts of the state government for agricultural mechanization. He informed that during the financial year 2025-26, a subsidy of Rs 416 crore was provided to the farmers across the state on the purchase of Crop Residue Management (CRM) machinery.

With a budget provision of Rs 600 crore for the coming financial year 2026-27, S. Gurmeet Singh Khudiyan assured that the Punjab Government will offer a sustainable, long-term solution to crop residue burning.

S. “With a Rs 600 crore action plan for efficient stubble management, the Punjab government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann is investing in resources that will ensure that our farmers never have to burn stubble again,” Khudiyan said.

The Agriculture Minister demanded immediate release of the outstanding amount of Rs 8800 crore of Rural Development Fund (RDF), which is being held up by the Center for several procurement seasons. He further said, “We have reached the Supreme Court, we have knocked on every door but still the funds have not been released.”

Praising the cooperation of the farmers of Punjab and their willingness to adopt modern machinery, Mr. Khudiya said that by making this achievement possible, the farmers of the state have once again proved that they are the true farmers of the country. Our farmers have proven that with the right support, farmers can achieve what was once thought impossible.