Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has called for a comprehensive information and awareness campaign to further reduce the practice of stubble burning across the state. He said sustained efforts by the Punjab government had already resulted in an 86 per cent decline in stubble-burning incidents between 2023 and 2025. Directing officials to intensify the campaign at the village and block levels, Mann stressed that the active participation of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), social workers, panchayats and farmers, along with extensive use of social media, would be crucial to consolidating the progress achieved so far and protecting Punjab’s environment. He also emphasised the need to strengthen both in-situ and ex-situ stubble management. Chairing a meeting on the state’s stubble management strategy, Mann said paddy had been planted over nearly 30 lakh hectares in Punjab this year, with approximately 18.81 million tonnes of stubble expected to be generated. The Chief Minister said stubble-burning incidents had fallen from 36,663 in 2023 to 10,909 in 2024 and further to 5,114 in 2025. He said the state must build on this progress and ensure that the number of incidents declines further this year. Mann stressed the need for an intensive grassroots campaign to educate farmers about the harmful consequences of stubble burning. He said all stakeholders should work together to encourage farmers to adopt sustainable alternatives for managing crop residue. He also called for NGOs and social workers to be actively involved in efforts to motivate farmers. Demonstrations of agricultural machinery, street plays, meetings with sarpanches, oath-taking programmes and other awareness activities should be organised on a wide scale so that the message reaches farmers at the grassroots level. Alongside these field-level initiatives, Mann called for a comprehensive digital and multimedia strategy. He said radio jingles, print media, television, mobile SMS and outdoor media should be used as part of an extensive communication plan. A large-scale social media campaign should also be undertaken to spread awareness about the harmful effects of stubble burning and the management options available to farmers. The Chief Minister further stressed the importance of recognising farmers and rural institutions that perform well in stubble management. He said progressive farmers, high-performing panchayats, Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) and other stakeholders should be honoured for their contribution. Such recognition, he said, would encourage others to adopt better practices and help turn stubble management into a collective movement. Mann also emphasised the need for close coordination among all stakeholders and districts for effective implementation of the strategy. He said every department and stakeholder must work in coordination to ensure that the overall plan is implemented smoothly and delivers the desired results. The Chief Minister highlighted the importance of both in-situ and ex-situ management of paddy stubble. He said promoting the management of crop residue both within and outside the fields would benefit farmers while also helping protect the environment. The objective, he said, should be to provide farmers with practical and sustainable alternatives to stubble burning. Cabinet Ministers Gurmeet Singh Khudian and Hardeep Singh Mundian, Chief Secretary K.A.P. Sinha, Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology K.K. Yadav, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Dr Ravi Bhagat, Secretary of the Agriculture Department Arshdeep Singh Thind and other senior officials attended the meeting.