The Indian Union Ministry of Agriculture has sanctioned ₹576 crore for crop residue management (CRM) in Punjab for the current financial year, continuing a nine-year trend of central assistance aimed at addressing stubble burning during the kharif (paddy) harvest season. This initiative is crucial as paddy straw burning significantly contributes to air pollution in the National Capital Region during October and November. The funds will support the supply of subsidized machinery for in-situ and ex-situ management of paddy stubble, alongside awareness programs for farmers. Under the scheme, individual farmers are eligible for a 50% subsidy on machinery, while custom hiring centers, farmer groups, village panchayats, and cooperatives can receive 80% subsidies. The Punjab government has set a target to distribute 23,000 machines this year. Since 2018, the Centre has allocated nearly ₹2,000 crore for CRM initiatives, with a revised funding pattern introduced in 2023 requiring states to contribute 40% of the total allocation. The state government will contribute around ₹230 crore this year. Notably, farm fires in Punjab have decreased by 94% from 83,000 cases in 2022 to 5,114 in 2025. Authorities expect further reductions during the upcoming harvest season, as farmers increasingly monetize paddy straw, which sells between ₹100 and ₹500 per quintal.