Farmers lack economically viable alternatives to stubble burning despite government subsidies

Indian farmers continue burning crop stubble despite 3.5 lakh government-subsidized machines being available, because the cost-benefit analysis still favors burning (matchstick cost) over mechanical removal. Farmers face the painful choice between adopting expensive, underutilized machinery or using the cheapest disposal method, while government solutions fail to address the real economic incentive structure driving the behavior.