Lok Sabha Question No. 1691 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-02
Subject: Ban on GM Crops
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Sukanta Majumdar, Khagen Murmu

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1691

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 2 ND   JULY, 2019

## BAN ON GM CROPS

1691.      DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR: SHRI  KHAGEN  MURMU:

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

- (a) whether a number of Genetically Modified (GM) crops  have  been  banned for cultivation in the country;
- (b) if so, the details threrof;
- (c) whether  incidents  of  illegal cultivation of Genetically Modified seeds like  Bt  Cotton,  Bt Brinjal  have  been reported in different parts of the country;
- (d) if so, the detail thereof;
- (e) whether  the  Government  has formulated various measures and bio-safety protocols for the introduction of GM crops  in the country; and
- (f) if so, the steps being taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

- (a) & (b): Bt.  cotton  is  the  only  Genetically  Modified  (GM)  crop  approved  in  2002  by  the Genetic  Engineering  Appraisal  Committee  of  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate Change for commercial cultivation in the Country and, therefore, cultivation of other unapproved GM crops are banned in India.
- (c) & (d): Few incidences of suspected open cultivation of Bt. brinjal and HT cotton were reported in Maharashtra, Haryana, Punjab, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh.

Department of Agriculture,  Cooperation and  Farmers Welfare has issued  advisories to States to take appropriate necessary action to curb and control the spread of Bt. Brinjal and HT cotton.  State  Governments  have  given  the  directions  to  all  District  Administration  to  take necessary legal steps to curb the production and selling of illegal GM crops.

(e) & (f): There is a well established regulatory framework for approval of GM Crops as per 'Rules  for  the  Manufacture/Use/Import/Export  and  Storage  of  Hazardous  Microorganisms, Genetically  Engineered  Organisms  or  Cells,  1989'  under  the  Environment  (Protection)  Act, 1986 in the Country.

Evaluation  of  each  application  of  GM  crop  is  done  on  a  case-to-case  basis  after  a thorough  examination  of  health,  environment,  food  and  feed  safety  assessment  studies undertaken in  a  systematic  and  scientific  manner  as  per  prescribed  guidelines,  manuals  and standard operating procedures stipulated by various regulatory agencies under the Rules, 1989 from  time  to  time.  The  data  generated  by  the  applicants  is  reviewed  at  every  step  in  the development process of GM crops by various Statutory Committees under the Rules, 1989 such as Institutional Biosafety Committee, Review Committee on Genetic Manipulation and Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee.

A  series  of  guidelines  and  protocols  have  been  issued  by  Department  of  Biotechnology and  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forests  and  Climate  Change  relating  to  Genetically  Modified Organisms and product thereof as under:

- i. Recombinant DNA Safety Guidelines, 1990
- ii. Revised Guidelines for Research in Transgenic Plants, 1998
- iii. Guidelines  for  the  Safety  Assessment  of  Foods  Derived  from  Genetically  Engineered Plants, 2008
- iv. Guidelines for the monitoring of Confined  Field Trials of Regulated, Genetically Engineered (GE) Plants, 2008
- v. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Confined Field Trials of Regulated, Genetically Engineered (GE) Plants, 2008
- vi. Protocol for Food and Feed Safety Assessment of GE crops, 2008
- vii. Guidelines and Handbook for Institutional Bio-safety Committees (IBSCs), 2011
- viii. Environmental Risk Assessment of Genetically Engineered Plants: A Guide for Stakeholders, 2016
- ix. Guidelines  for  the  Environmental  Risk  Assessment  of  Genetically  Engineered  Plants, 2016.
10. x Risk Analysis Framework, 2016.

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