Lok Sabha Question No. 689 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-03
Subject: Genome-edited Rice Varieties
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Sudhakar Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH & EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 689

TO BE ANSWERED ON 3 RD  FEBRUARY, 2026

## GENOME-EDITED RICE VARIETIES

## 689.   SHRI SUDHAKAR SINGH:

Will  the  Minister  of  AGRICULTURE  AND  FARMERS  WELFARE कृ षि  और  ककसान कल्याण मंत्री be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government proposes to publish the detailed study reports of both the approved genome-edited rice varieties, namely DRR Dhan-100 (IET 32042) and Pusa DST Rice1 (IET 32043) to make publish their test results, toxicological and allergenicity data;
- (b) whether the extant laws, testing protocols and regulatory framework are adequate to ensure safety, health impacts and consumer interests with regard to genome- edited rice varieties and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether there areas cross contamination attributed to the varieties of genome-edited rice approved in India and if so, the main factors responsible for it; and
- (d) whether  the  Government  has  formulated  or  adopted  any  concrete  policy  for  the protection of farmers' rights and seed sovereignty and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ षि और ककसान कल्याण राज्य मंत्री (SHRI BHAGIRATH CHOUDHARY)

(a) & (b): Yes, the performance evaluation results of the two genome edited rice varieties (DRR Dhan-100 and Pusa DST Rice-I) are available on the website of All India Coordinated Research Project on Rice (AICRPR) intranet site (http://www.aicrip-intranet.in/). Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Govt. of India exempted the SiteDirected Nuclease-1 (SDN1) and Site-Directed Nuclease-2 (SDN2) genome edited crop free of exogenous introduced DNA from GM regulation rules (Rules 7-11 of Rules 1989) vide OM

F.NO.  C-12013/3/2020-CS-III  dated  30  March,  2022.  Further,  the  Biosafety  issues  have been addressed following  the  'Guidelines  for  the  Safety  Assessment  of  Genome  Edited Plants, 2022'  of Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science and Technology , Govt. of India issued vide OM No. File No. PID-15011/1/2022-PPB-DBT dated 17.05.2022 and 'Standard Operating Procedures for Regulatory Review of Genome Edited Plants under SDN-1 and SDN2 Categories' vide OM No. File No. PID -15011/1/2022-PPB-DBT dated 04.10.2022. Information as per regulatory disclosure norms is placed in the public domain through officially recorded minutes of Review Committee on Genetic Manipulation (RCGM) meetings (https://ibkp.dbtindia.gov.in/Content/DecisionDocs).

(c): Rice is predominantly a self-pollinated crop with very low natural out-crossing rate. Standard seed production, isolation distance and genetic purity protocols applicable to all rice varieties are followed to maintain varietal integrity. Hence, currently there is no evidence of cross-contamination attributed specifically to approved genome-edited rice varieties.

(d): The  Government  has  taken  concrete  steps  to  safeguard  farmers'  rights  and  seed sovereignty through Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights (PPV&FR) Act 2001. Genome-edited varieties are governed by the same farmer-centric principles, to save and reuse seeds across generations.

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