- CSR-led climate action reaches 86,000 farmers in Punjab and Haryana, transforming crop residue management at scale
- Over 88% of 3.78 lakh acres brought under non-burning practices through machinery access, awareness and community ownership
- Eight villages achieve zero stubble burning; 174 villages record over 90% compliance in anti-burning efforts
- Innovative tool-bank model lowers farmers’ costs, boosts soil health and creates rural green enterprises
- HDFC Bank and CII Foundation deepen commitment to cleaner air, sustainable agriculture and climate resilience
NE ENVIRONMENT BUREAU
AHMEDABAD, JUNE 5
Marking World Environment Day with a significant environmental milestone, HDFC Bank, through its CSR initiative Parivartan, has helped prevent stubble burning on more than 3.26 lakh acres of farmland across Punjab and Haryana, demonstrating how community-driven interventions can tackle one of North India’s most persistent environmental challenges.
Implemented in partnership with the CII Foundation, the Crop Residue Management (CRM) programme has enabled 88 per cent of 3,78,425 acres under its ambit to adopt non-burning practices during the 2025 season. The initiative now spans more than 380 villages across Ludhiana and Sangrur districts in Punjab and Fatehabad district in Haryana, benefiting nearly 86,000 farmers.
Stubble burning following the paddy harvest remains a major contributor to the seasonal air pollution crisis that engulfs North India each winter. Besides releasing harmful particulate matter into the atmosphere, the practice depletes soil nutrients and affects long-term agricultural productivity. While Punjab and Haryana recorded a 53 per cent decline in burning incidents in 2025, many small and marginal farmers continue to struggle with access to machinery and affordable residue-management solutions.
Launched in Ludhiana in October 2023 and subsequently expanded to Sangrur and Fatehabad in 2024, the three-year programme has rapidly emerged as one of the country’s most impactful private-sector-led interventions in agricultural sustainability. To date, eight villages have completely eliminated stubble burning, while 174 villages have achieved more than 90 per cent non-burning compliance.
Speaking on the achievement, Nusrat Pathan, Head – CSR, HDFC Bank, said: “Stubble burning is not simply an agricultural habit – it is a systemic challenge rooted in economics, access, and awareness. HDFC Bank Parivartan’s partnership with CII Foundation has addressed all three dimensions simultaneously. By making machinery accessible to farmers through cooperative tool banks, driving behaviour change through sustained community engagement, and introducing ex-situ solutions like biogas and composting, we have built a model that delivers environmental outcomes alongside real savings for farmers. On World Environment Day, we reaffirm our commitment to scaling this impact further.”
At the heart of the programme lies a community tool-bank model designed to democratise access to advanced farm machinery. More than 450 agricultural machines, including Balers, Super Seeders, Smart Seeders and Mittar Seeders, have been procured and distributed to over 140 farmer cooperatives and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs). These machines are rented out at affordable rates, allowing farmers to adopt sustainable residue-management practices without incurring prohibitive costs.
Additionally, around 800 tractors were deployed on hire during the peak stubble-burning season, particularly benefiting small and marginal farmers.
The mechanised approach enables in-situ management of paddy straw by mulching and incorporating residue directly into the soil while simultaneously preparing fields, sowing wheat and applying fertilisers. As a result, farmers have seen residue-management and sowing costs decline from approximately ₹2,000–₹2,500 per acre to ₹800–₹1,200 per acre, while improving soil fertility and reducing long-term dependence on chemical fertilisers.
For farmers unable to adopt in-situ methods, Balers provide an efficient alternative by collecting and bundling straw for downstream utilisation. The programme has also nurtured a rural green economy by supporting over 30 village youth entrepreneurs with Baler machines, enabling them to build businesses around straw aggregation, logistics and value-added applications.
To further strengthen ex-situ crop residue utilisation, the initiative has facilitated the installation of 18 paddy straw-based biogas units, while two bio-pelletisation plants and one bio-fertiliser facility are currently being established.
A robust community-engagement strategy has complemented these infrastructure investments. Thousands of village meetings, farmer awareness campaigns and capacity-building sessions have been conducted in collaboration with agriculture departments, encouraging behavioural change and wider adoption of sustainable practices.
Highlighting the programme’s social impact, Chandrakant Pradhan, Lead – Climate Resilience, CII Foundation, said: “What makes this programme exceptional is the depth of community ownership it has generated. Farmers who once had no alternative to burning now champion in-situ management and actively encourage their neighbours. Across villages in Ludhiana, Sangrur and Fatehabad, farmers in large numbers have moved on from the practice of open field burning of paddy straw for years, to become harbingers of a zero burning movement just within a two-to-three-year time, a testament to what becomes possible when communities are equipped, educated, and trusted to lead change.”
The programme’s success stories are visible on the ground. Farmers such as Gurmeet Singh of Cheema village in Ludhiana have shifted entirely to crop residue management practices and significantly reduced operational costs. Similarly, Paramjeet Singh from Lamba village in Fatehabad has been able to adopt sustainable farming methods through affordable access to cooperative-owned machinery, eliminating the burden of expensive private rentals.
With the initiative set to continue through 2026–27, HDFC Bank Parivartan and the CII Foundation plan to expand adoption across new villages, strengthen residue-utilisation infrastructure and build long-term agricultural resilience while contributing to cleaner air and healthier ecosystems across North India.
