Lok Sabha Question No. 101 (STARRED), answered on 2021-07-27
Subject: Regulation of Pesticides
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Rajveer (Raju Bhaiya) Singh, Vinod Kumar Sonkar

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

## LOK  SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 101

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  27 TH  JULY, 2021

## REGULATION OF PESTICIDES

- *101.     SHRI RAJVEER SINGH (RAJU BHAIYA): SHRI VINOD KUMAR SONKAR:

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

- (a) whether the Government proposes to regulate the manufacture, import, storage, sale, distribution, use and disposal of pesticides and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the  Government  has  taken  note  of  the  overuse  of  chemical  fertilizers  and pesticides by the farmers and if so, the steps being taken by the Government to educate farmers about organic farming, since the organic produce fetches better price in the market;
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  any  plan  to  simplify  the  procedure  for  obtaining  the certificate for organic farming and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether  the  Government  has  proposed  to  set  up  the  Central  Pesticides  Board  to frame model protocols to deal with poisoning cases due to pesticides and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the  other  steps  being  taken  by  Government  to  ensure  the  availability  of  safe pesticides and minimize the risk to humans, animals and environment?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी

(SHRI NARENDRA  SINGH TOMAR)

- (a) to (e): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (e)  OF  LOK  SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 101  DUE FOR REPLY ON 27 th  JULY, 2021.

- (a): The  manufacture,  import,  storage,  sale,  distribution,  use,  etc  of  pesticides  are regulated by the Insecticides Act, 1968 and the Insecticides Rules, 1971 made thereunder. The  Central  Government  is  responsible  for  registration  of  insecticides  whereas  the  State Governments are responsible for licensing and enforcement of the conditions of licence and provisions  relating  to  manufacture,  sale,  transport,  distribution  and  use  of  insecticides. Substances bearing insecticidal properties are notified and included in the Schedule to the Act  by  the  Central  Government,  which  are  then  required  to  be  registered  for  import  or manufacture  by  the  Registration  Committee  subject  to  fulfilment  of  detailed  technical parameters. State Governments grant license for manufacture, sale, stock, exhibition for sale or  distribution  of  any  insecticide.  They  also  promote  biological  pesticides.  The  quality  of pesticides  is  further  ensured  through  Central  and  States'  Insecticide  Inspectors  and  the Central and States' pesticide testing laboratories. Action against firms / individuals involved in manufacture / sale of substandard/spurious pesticides is taken.
- (b): In so far as checking the overuse of pesticides is concerned, Government promotes Integrated  Pest  Management  (IPM)  approach  as  an  ecologically  desirable  alternative. Judicious  use  of  chemical  pesticides  is  recommended  as  a  measure  of  last  resort.  The States'  agriculture  extension  departments  and  35  Central  Integrated  Pest  Management Centres (CIPMCs) across the country train farmers, extension functionaries, etc. The training activities include programmes on non-chemical pest management strategies and use of biopesticides for farmers through Farmers' Field Schools (FFSs), for master trainers, extension workers and short duration courses for pesticides dealers/NGOs/Graduates/Postgraduates/Private Entrepreneurs and progressive farmers.

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In  this  regard,  Government  has  also  been  promoting  organic  farming  through seminars  and  trainings.  Financial  support  is  provided  to  the  states  to  organize  seminars, trainings, awareness camps on organic production, post harvest management, marketing etc. Experienced farmers, experts are invited as resource persons in the seminars for spreading awareness and sharing their experiences. The National Centre for Organic Farming (NCOF) also spreads awareness among farmers through Jaivik Kisan Sammelans, field demonstrations, farmers' training and publicity through print and electronic media.

(c): Organic  farming  is  certified  in  India  under  two  different  systems  of  certifications, namely, under the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) notified by APEDA in 2000  and  the  online  low  cost  Participatory  Guarantee  System  (PGS)  organic  certification launched by Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare in 2015.

(d): The Insecticides Act, 1968 already contains provision for a Central Insecticides Board (CIB) having 29 members to advise the Central and State Governments on technical matters relating  to  manufacture  of  insecticides,  classification  of  insecticides  on  the  basis  of  their toxicity, tolerance limit for insecticides, shelf life of insecticides and residues, colorization etc. The Director General Health Services, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare is the chairperson of the board. However, the Pesticide Management Bill, 2020 introduced in the Rajya Sabha on 23 rd March, 2020, to repeal and replace the existing Act, contains further provisions for inter  alia framing  of  model  protocols  to  deal  with  occurrences  of  poisoning,  including  the specification of standard operating procedures for medical facilities by a refurbished Central Pesticide Board and creation of a fund for making ex-gratia payments on account of injury or death due to poisoning.

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(e): Pesticides  are  toxic  substances  but  they  do  not  pose  any  adverse  effect  on  the environment  if  they  are  used  as  per  the  label  and  leaflet  approved  by  the  Registration Committee. Registered pesticides are periodically reviewed from time to time with regard to their  safety  and  efficacy  in  consultation  with  experts  on  receipt  of  new  studies  /  reports  / references / information. So far, Government has banned or phased out 46 pesticides and 4 pesticide formulations for import, manufacture or sale in the country. In addition,  5 banned pesticides  are  allowed  to  be  manufactured  for  export  only,  8  pesticide  registrations  have been withdrawn and 9 pesticides have been placed under restricted use.

However, to meet the multi-dimensional management and administration of pests and pesticides  spectrum,  which  is  continuously  evolving with  modern  scientific  &  technical developments with passage of time, a dynamic legislation was felt necessary. Therefore, the Pesticide Management Bill, 2020 was introduced in the Rajya Sabha on 23 rd March 2020 to repeal and replace the existing Insecticides Act, 1968.  The Bill aims to regulate all aspects of  life  cycle  of  a  pesticide.  The  thrust  of  the  Bill  is  to  ensure  the  availability  of  safe  and effective pesticides and to strive to minimize risk to human beings, animals, living organisms and the environment.

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