Alternatives for paddy stubble utilisation
Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III – Agriculture-related issues; Pollution and its mitigation
In news
- The Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA) in association with the Government of Punjab is creating alternatives for paddy stubble utilisation.
Alternatives for paddy stubble utilisation
- Biomass power plants: In these plants, 8.80 lakh metric tonnes of paddy stubble is used annually to generate power
- Producing Bio CNG: These will need around 3-lakh metric tonnes of paddy stubble annually.
- Bioethanol Project: This will require 2 lakh metric tonnes of paddy stubble annually.
Advantages of these Projects
- After commissioning of all these projects, Punjab will be able to utilise 1.5 million tonnes (7% of the total) paddy stubble.
- Farmers can benefit hugely if they can sell paddy stubble to the industry instead of burning it.
- It will reduce the pollution caused by stubble burning.
- The fertility of the soil will also be preserved.
- The youth can start such projects under the ‘start-up’ concept, which will create entrepreneurship among them.
- Educated unemployed youth in rural Punjab can get big job opportunities.
Limitations
- Current usage of stubble in these plants is very small compared to the generation of stubble.
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