Lok Sabha Question No. 4513 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-01-08
Subject: GM Seeds
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: DHANANJAY BHIMRAO MAHADIK, HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT, VIJAYSINH MOHITE PATIL, RAJEEV SHANKARRAO SATAV, SUPRIYA SADANAND SULE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4513

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 8 TH   JANUARY, 2019

## GM  SEEDS

4513.      SHRI  DHANANJAY MAHADIK: SHRI SATAV RAJEEV: DR. HEENA VIJAYKUMAR  GAVIT: SHRI  MOHITE  PATIL VIJAYSINH SHANKARRAO: SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SULE:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  present  Seeds Act does  not  deal  with  quality  control  for Genetically Modified  (GM)  seeds, if  so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether it is a fact that GM seeds are very costly and some times farmers can be  misled and  there  is  a  strong  need  to develop  protocol  for  determining  the presence or absence of genes incorporated in such seeds, if so, the steps taken by the Government in this regard;
- (c) whether a 'Seeds Village Scheme' to  upgrade the  quality  of  farmers'  saved seeds has been introduced in different parts of  the country,  if  so,  the  details  thereof; and
- (d) whether the Government is aware that financial assistance under the scheme has not reached the farmers and if so, the corrective measures taken in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंालय म राय मंी (SHRI  PARSHOTTAM  RUPALA)

- (a) & (b): No  Madam,  there  are  adequate  provisions  under      Seeds      Act,      1966      and Environment Protection   Act,   1986   to   control   the   quality   of Genetically Modified crops. In India Bt. cotton is only   Genetically   Modified   crop,   approved   for commercial   cultivation   and   price   of Bt.   Cotton seed   is   regulated   through   Cotton   Seed   Price Control Order, 2015.   Accordingly, Government has fixed maximum sale price of BG-I Bt. Cotton seed at Rs. 635/- & BG-II Bt. cotton seed at Rs. 740/- for a packet of 450gms. for 2018.
- (c) & (d): Yes  Madam,  Seed  Village  Scheme  is  being  implemented  to  upgrade  the  quality  of farmers'  saved  seed.  Financial  assistance  for  distribution  of  foundation/certified  at    50%  cost  of  the seeds for cereal crops and 60% for pulses, oil seeds, fodder and green manure crops for production of quality seeds is available for one acre per farmer. Under the scheme financial assistance @ Rs. 15,000/for group of 50-150 farmers is also available for farmer's training. The physical progress of the scheme is as under:

| Year                  |   Fund Released (Rs. in lakhs) |   Seed villages Oraganised |   Qty. of Seeds Produced (in lakh Qtls.) |   No. farmers covered (in lakh) |
|-----------------------|--------------------------------|----------------------------|------------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
| 2015-16               |                        6938.89 |                      29277 |                                    91.82 |                           21.13 |
| 2016-17               |                        7700.5  |                      24198 |                                    58.52 |                           16.15 |
| 2017-18               |                       14070    |                     100280 |                                   126.51 |                           30.05 |
| 2018-19( as on date ) |                       11367.8  |                      40048 |                                    58.09 |                           18.59 |
| Total                 |                       40077.2  |                     193803 |                                   334.94 |                           85.92 |

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