NTPC to buy farm stubble at Rs 5,500 per tonne

A K Bhalla, secretary, Ministry of Power, however, said that the stubble pellets procured for power plants may not be used this season, but the system will be in place (File)

Power Minister R K Singh on Thursday said that state-run NTPC will float a tender to buy farm stubble at Rs 5,500 per tonne for power plants, a move that will check farmers from burning it — a key source of pollution in the national capital region (NCR).

He said this move will help farmers earn around Rs 11,000 per acre from the sale of straw (also known as stubble) pellets. A large number of farmers particularly in Punjab and Haryana are burning the farm stubble/straw, which causes air pollution, in the absence of viable alternatives.

“On an average a farmers get around 2 tonnes of stubble or straw in an acre. NTPC will bring a tender to buy the pellets of this farm residue in next few days at a rate of Rs 5,500 per tonne,” Singh said at a press conference on Thursday.

A K Bhalla, secretary, Ministry of Power, however, said that the stubble pellets procured for power plants may not be used this season, but the system will be in place. On bidders, Singh said a new market will be created under which service providers will bid after making arrangements with farmers.