Lok Sabha Question No. 3066 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-21
Subject: GM Crops
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: GOWDAR MALLIKARJUNAPPA SIDDESHWARA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH & EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3066 TO BE ANSWERED ON 21/03/2017

## GM CROPS

3066. SHRI G.M. SIDDESHWARA:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE d`f"k ,oa fdlku dY;k.k ea=h be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Indian Council of Agricultural Research and Agricultural Universities have taken any steps for conducting field trials of Genetically Modified (GM) crops in the country and if so, the details thereof, State-wise; and
- (b) the  steps  being  taken  to  reduce  the  time  lag  between  an  application  for conducting field trials and its subsequent approval or disapproval?

## A N S W E R

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE d`f'k ,oa fdlku dY;k.k ea=ky; esa jkT; ea=h

## (SHRI SUDARSHAN BHAGAT)

- (a) As  decided  by  regulation  system  of  India,  i.e.  the  Genetic  Engineering Appraisal  Committee  (GEAC)  and  Review  Committee  on  Genetic  Manipulation (RCGM)  functioning  under  Environment  (Protection)  Act  1986,  the  commodity specific  institutes  and  national  research  institutes  of  ICAR  as  well  as  State Agricultural  Universities  (SAUs)  have  been  engaged  in carrying  out  field  trials (confined field trials Bio-safety Research level (BRL)  - I and BRL - II) after due no objection certificate (NOC) from concerned states. For various experiments with recombinant DNA  technology in lab/fields, specific locations as per the requirements  are  enabled  appropriately  in  such  institutes  with  the  approval  of Institute  Bio-safety  Committee  (IBSC)  at  the  time  of  proposing  the  trials  during execution   and post-trial period. Further a committee has been constituted involving representatives from Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; Ministry of Science and Technology; and Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare which will  notify  the  specific  sites  for  conduct  of  confined  field  trials  in  GM  crops  in National Agricultural Research System (NARS).

Field  trials are  conducted  uniformly  across  the  states  as  per  standard  biosafety norms defined by GEAC, Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC). For each new Genetically Modified (GM) event, it takes four years (One year for event selection trials: two years for conducting BRL-I and one year for conducting  BRL-II)  to  conduct  field  trials  by  the  Indian  Council  of  Agricultural Research Institutes and SAUs.

Confined field trials have been conducted in different crops in the past which include:-

- i)  BRL-I  and  BRL-II  trials  being  conducted  regularly  for  testing  the  various  GM cotton varieties and hybrids.
2. ii) BRL-II level trials of GM brinjal were completed before 2009.
3. iii)In case of Indian mustard, a GM hybrid DMH-11 was tested in BRL-I and BRLII trials upto 2014-15 in the states of Rajasthan, Punjab and Delhi.
4. iv)Presently  the  confined  field  trials  are  being  conducted  in  case  of  chickpea  and pigeonpea at Indian Institute of Pulses Research, Kanpur for event selection for resistance to pod borer.

State-wise  detail  are  available  with  the  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  & Climate Change

(b) The procedural time and time of experiments are within the regulation system, the  NOC  by  state  government  and  the  agency/institute  innovating  the  genetically modified (GM) product. There is no time lag by the ICAR institutes in taking up the experiment once RCGM clears the conduct of the trial; provided the sufficient time is available for planting of a crop during the season.

RCGM meetings are held regularly on monthly basis, wherein, proposals of field trials on GM crops are considered and based on merit these are recommended to GEAC for approval or disapproval.

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