The Union government has constituted an expert committee to consider objections and suggestions received in response to the draft notification with regard to prohibition of 27 pesticides, and submit its report.
In a written reply to a query by Shashi Tharoor, Member of Parliament (MP) in Lok Sabha, Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, said the expert committee, which was constituted in January, is considering the objections and suggestions taking into consideration all aspects related to safety, toxicity, efficacy, updated status of submission of required study and data, technical and scientific requirements, availability of safer substitutes, farmers interests, ban status in other countries, etc., and matters connected therewith and incidental thereto.
The Minister said the Government published a draft notification in May 2020 inviting objections and suggestions from stakeholders with regard to prohibition of 27 pesticides.
On the request of stakeholders, the Government had increased the timeline in June 2020 for submission of objections and suggestions on the draft order from 45 days to 90 days.
46 pesticides banned
To a separate question by NK Premachandran, MP, the written reply said pesticides are regulated under the Insecticides Act, 1968 and the Insecticides Rule, 1971. The Act regulates the import, manufacture, sale, transport, distribution and use of insecticides with a view to prevent risk to human beings or animals, and for matters connected therewith.
The Ministry of Agriculture has so far banned or phased out 46 pesticides and four pesticide formulations for import, manufacture or sale in the country. In addition, eight pesticides registrations have been withdrawn and nine pesticides have been placed under restricted use.
Giving the list of 22 States and two Union Territories (UTs), he said no case of use of banned pesticides have been reported in these States and UTs.
Residue level
However, the Government is implementing a scheme — ‘Monitoring of Pesticide Residues at National Level’ — under which samples of vegetables, fruits and other crops are collected from the retail outlets, markets, farm-gate, etc and analysed by enlisted NABL laboratories for pesticide residues.
He said 30,664 samples of fruits, vegetables and other crops were collected during 2019-20 and analysed for the presence of pesticide residues. The residues of banned pesticides have been detected in 78 (0.25 per cent) samples. Reports of such instances have been shared with the State governments concerned to take appropriate legal and corrective actions, he said.
Direct cash transfer
To a query on whether the Government has finalised DBT (direct benefit transfer) model for fertiliser subsidy to farmers that was raised by the MPs Jagadmbika Pal and Varun Gandhi, the Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers, Sadananda Gowda, said in a written reply that the Government has not yet taken final decision for implementation of direct cash transfer (DCT) of fertiliser subsidy to farmers.
Stating this has been under discussion at various forums, he said a Committee of Secretaries (CoS) headed by Cabinet Secretary has been set up to develop the broad contours of the DCT framework. The CoS recommended to constitute a nodal committee to be co-chaired by secretaries of Department of Fertilizers and Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers’ Welfare to formulate and implement direct cash transfer in fertilisers.
Apart from this, the Department of Fertilisers has constituted Chintan Shivir Working Group on direct benefit transfer to farmers under the chairmanship of the Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers, and the working group has held several meetings with the stakeholders.
In the above-mentioned committees / working group, no decision has yet been taken for implementation of direct cash transfer of fertiliser subsidy to farmers.