Lok Sabha Question No. 1619 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-09
Subject: GM Crops
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: M. B. RAJESH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF BIOTECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1619 TO BE ANSWERED ON 09/12/2015

## GM CROPS

1619 SHRI MB. RAJESH

Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government intends to revamp the process of approval for GM crops;
- the measures taken proposed to to make the process of approval stringent including strict supervision of field trials;
- if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (d) whether the Government proposes to forbid the company intending to market the product by passing the tests; and
- (e if so, the details thereof and the other steps taken the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE FOR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY AND EARTH SCIENCES (Y. S: CHOWDARY)

- (a) & (6) Genetically Engineered (GE) crops undergo elaborate food and environmental safety assessment following regulatory guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures under Rules1989 of Environment  Protection 1986 Proposals on examination by the   Institutional Biosafety Committees (IBSc) are   forwarded to Review Committee for Genetic Manipulation (RCGM) in Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology for & thorough food and environmental risk assessment before field trials approved by Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) administered by Minister of Environment & Forests and Climate Change, GOL. Necessary follow-up action is taken on various recommendations of the Supreme Court appointed Technical Committee and the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture on   strengthening of regulatory framework such as setting up of Biosafety   Support Unit   (BSU) with scientists from various fields of   agriculture and pharmaceutical   sciences to develop Risk Assessment and Risk Management (RARM) plan before approval of all confined field trials of GE crops with new genes/ events; initiatives to notify   regulatory sites, development of   dedicated website for   transparency in the biosafety regulatory system etc. Act; being being testing

- (c) A Central Compliance Committee (CCC) composing of experts nominated by RCGM and GEAC, experts from state agriculture universities and state agriculture departments make & site   visit for monitoring the field trials at least two times the  important growth and reproductive stages of the crops Monitoring is also done on a regular basis by scientists of tke State Agricultural Universities and officials of State Agriculture Departments. Most of the trials are conducted in the premises of agriculture universities on obtaining No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the respective state governments. In the coming years, it is proposed to introduce video recording of the field trials in the presence of local agriculture officers at critical stages of growth for regulatory compliance. during
- (d) & (e) Development of GM Crops involves complex  set of technologies which are often patented and with limited access. Commercial use of GM crops also requires various approvals under Rules 1989 of Environmental Protection Act 1986; Plant Quarantine Order; 2003; Seed 1966 and its amendments thereof; and also Plant Variety Protection and Farmers Right As per the provisions of these Acts it is a punishable offence with fine and imprisonment  including cancellation of registration of a company intending to market the product bypassing the tests\_ Act,

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