Bhagwant Mann Defends Punjab Farmers Over Stubble Burning Ahead of Smog Season

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann stated he opposes registering criminal cases against farmers who burn paddy stubble ahead of the winter smog season.

Mann backed farmers' demands for a 3,000 rupee cash incentive per acre for stubble management and questioned emissions from neighboring states and Pakistan.

Punjab previously recorded an 86 percent reduction in stubble fire incidents between 2023 and 2025, though the issue remains politically contentious.