Chandigarh, Oct. 31 -- Punjab's long-standing stubble-burning crisis is undergoing a shift as industrial bio-energy demand transforms paddy straw into a profitable commercial commodity. Driven by compressed biogas plants, bioethanol refineries, and textile boiler conversions, a rural aggregation market has emerged. Supported by state machinery subsidies and expanding industrial processing capacity, organised stubble collection has slashed seasonal farm fires from nearly 50,000 in 2022 to under 5,200 in 2025. Paddy residue is evolving into a viable second revenue source for farmers. FULL REPORT ON P2...