Pesticides Management Bill gets Cabinet nod, to be tabled in Parliament

New Delhi, Feb 12 () A Bill to regulate business of pesticides and compensate farmers in case of losses from usage of spurious agro-chemicals will be introduced in the ongoing session of Parliament, the government said on Wednesday.

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday had approved Pesticides Management Bill, 2020.

"As far as farmers are concerned because that is our primary concern, Pesticides Management Bill will be introduced in this session of Parliament. Today pesticide business is regulated by 1968 rules which have become age old and needs immediate rewriting," Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar told reporters.

The minister informed that a Bill in this regard was presented in 2008.

"In 2008 that effort was done. Bill was presented. It was discussed thoroughly in Standing Committee. After taking cue from standing committee recommendations, this new bill has been drafted," he added.

The main objective of the Bill is to protect the interest of farmers and ensure they get safe and effective pesticides.

"Secondly, he (farmer) will not get spurious pesticides. Because many times he is at the receiving end if he gets spurious pesticides," the minister said.

Javadekar said farmers would also be empowered to get all information as the data would be in open source and in all languages. "More importantly he will know about the strength and weakness of pesticides, the risk and alternatives and this will be an open data in digital format also."

The minister said farmers would essentially get these information from the dealers selling pesticides.

The bill also intends to promote organic pesticides.

The minister informed that all pesticide manufacturers have to be registered and bound by the new Act, once it is passed. Even their advertisements will be regulated that there should be no confusion or no cheating in any way of the farmers.

"If there is any loss because of the spurious or low quality of pesticides then there is a provision for compensations. This is unique feature of this bill. The penalties collected from the companies and money put if required by the government will form a central fund which will take care of compensation," Javadekar said.

The minister said this is an important bill for farming community and yet another step by the Modi government for the welfare of farmers. NKD MJH CS MKJ