Standing Committee on Agriculture Invites Public Opinion on Pesticide Management Bill

For the first time in history, the government has sought public input on the Pesticide Management Bill. The tides appear to be shifting.

“The Pesticide Management Bill, 2020” is under evaluation by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture (2020-21) under the Chairpersonship of P. C.  Gaddigoudar, MP.

The bill is significant and has far-reaching effects. In order to investigate this, the Committee is seeking Memoranda from industry representatives, farmer organizations, professionals, experts, institutions, and other stakeholders with an interest in the matter.

The goal is to get more people involved in the process.

If you want to submit your ideas, you must send two copies (one in Hindi and one in English) to the following address:

Director, Lok Sabha Secretariat,

Room no. 432,

Parliament House Annexe,

New Delhi – 110001.

Telephone: 011 – 23034432 and 23035754

Email: agricom@sansad.nic.in

Submit your Memoranda within 9 days of this news being published.

Please note:

The Committee's Memoranda would be held in "strictly confidential" status. Nobody would have access to the information. If this is done, it will be considered a “Breach of Privilege” of the Committee.

You have the option of appearing before the Committee for Oral Evidence in addition to filing Memoranda. In this case, however, the Committee's decision would be definitive.

An overview:

Pesticides are currently a topic of discussion. Farmers' heads have always been disturbed by questions about when to use, how much to use, and which one to use.

India has been strict about the usage of pesticides and insecticides since the Insecticides Act was implemented in 1968.

In 2008, Sharad Pawar had presented a bill in Rajya Sabha for upgrading the 1968 act.

Then, in 2017, the act was upgraded and was presented as a draft. In 2020, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar introduced the draft in the Rajya Sabha. He repealed the 2008 bill. This was Gazette notified.