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Uttar Pradesh cabinet clears biofuel policy to address crop burning

LUCKNOW: The state cabinet cleared the UP Biofuel Policy on Friday which is expected to address the crop residue burning issue to a large extent. An MoU worth Rs 8,000 crore has already been signed under this policy, the details of which will be revealed during the upcoming UP Investors’ Summit.

Industrial development minister Satish Mahana said that the policy would look at converting crop residue, bagasse and agricultural waste into electricity and biogas.

“Interested investors will get the same benefits that are being offered under the industrial policy. The policy will address two key issues that UP is facing, that of bagasse, the residue left over after juice is extracted from sugarcane, and that of agricultural residue. Since UP has a significant amount of sugarcane production, there will definitely not be any shortage of raw material for these plants,” an official said.

Crop burning has also become a massive problem in the state which is resulting in a spike in air pollution taking it to hazardous levels. Officials said that firms could explore the possibility of extracting crop stubble from the fields, an expensive and laborious process because of which farmers usually burn it, and then use it to produce power and biogas.