<p>Biomass, as an energy resource, is generated in ample amounts in rural India, making its utilization absolutely important. However, in the absence of adequate utilization methods and the non-availability of cleaner fuels, it is widely used for domestic cooking, which exposes households to harmful pollutants. The present study quantified the air pollution load from biomass&#xa0;buring in rural households of six districts in Haryana State, India. The total annual consumption of different cooking fuels is estimated to be 1649, 839, and 162 thousand tons/year of fuelwood, dungcake, and LPG, respectively. The estimated emissions from fuelwood were observed to be 24.75, 19.29, 0.94, and 1.48 thousand tons/year for PM₁₀, PM_2.5, SO₂, and NO_x, respectively, while these values for cowdung were 11.96, 10.84, 0.71, and 0.49 thousand tons/year, respectively. The emission load for LPG was comparatively very low at 0.293, 0.339, and 0.293 thousand tons/year for PM_2.5, SO₂, and NO_x, respectively. The estimated agriculture residues from six districts are ~ 955, 1849, and 290 thousand tons/year for rice, wheat, and mustard crops, respectively. The study suggested possible alternatives for efficient utilization of solid biofuel, including replacement with cleaner fuel, improved cook stoves, sensitization, and conversion of available biomass energy to improved fuels. Adoption of the aforementioned practices will reduce the burning of biomass fuel and thus combat air emissions and resultant exposure.</p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>