India, Feb. 14 -- With the launch of the Crop Residue Management (CRM) Scheme, under which machines are provided to farmers at subsidised rates, instances of stubble burning have been steadily declining, especially in States like Punjab and Haryana, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said in the Rajya Sabha on Friday.

Chouhan said that stubble burning is not the only cause of pollution, as scientific studies have established that it contributes no more than 5 per cent to pollution in the Delhi-NCR region, even during winter.

Industrial units and vehicles are among the other major sources of pollution, but farmers are often blamed for it, he added.

Explaining the rationale behind launching the Crop Residue Management (CRM) Schem...