New Seeds Bill seeks a quality harvest
The government on Thursday allowed the agriculture ministry to bring amendments in the Seeds Bill, 2004 for regulating the quality of seeds and increase private participation in the production of major input.
By ET Bureau |
NEW DELHI: The government on Thursday allowed the agriculture ministry to bring amendments in the Seeds Bill, 2004 for regulating the quality of seeds and increase private participation in the production of major input. The Union cabinet gave its approval for moving amendments in the Seeds Bill, minister of state in prime minister���s office Prithviraj Chavan said.
���The proposed amendments will regulate the quality of seeds and planting materials to ensure availability of quality seeds to the farmers, to curb sale of spurious and poor quality seeds,��� he said. It would also help increase private participation in seeds production, distribution, seed testing as well as to liberalise imports of seeds and planting materials, Mr Chavan added.
Meanwhile, the cabinet committee on economic affairs (CCEA) approved the revised the central sector scheme ���Development Of Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure ��� Grading & Standardisation��� to be implemented during the 11th plan period with a total outlay of Rs 706.40 crore.
���The revised scheme will help in expanding marketing, post-harvest infrastructure facilities in the country by inducing private/public and cooperative sector investment and will also help in improving the efficiency of existing infrastructure with the state agencies,��� Mr Chavan said.
The CCEA approved the revised scheme with suitable modifications in its operational guidelines under which it has been stated that no major structural changes be made in the scheme, before a rigorous and critical, independent evaluation of the scheme is made. Under the revised guidelines, reefer vans or any other refrigerated vans used for transporting agricultural produce would be allowed for assistance under the scheme.
In another decision, the CCEA also allowed the agriculture ministry to undertake documentation of endangered medicinal plants through periodic surveys and research. Mr Chavan said the Centre���s ���Conservation, Development And Sustainable Management Of Medicinal Plants��� scheme has been allocated Rs 321.3 crore during the 11th plan. The scheme would promote research, development and domestication of wild medicinal plants, he said.
���The proposed amendments will regulate the quality of seeds and planting materials to ensure availability of quality seeds to the farmers, to curb sale of spurious and poor quality seeds,��� he said. It would also help increase private participation in seeds production, distribution, seed testing as well as to liberalise imports of seeds and planting materials, Mr Chavan added.
Meanwhile, the cabinet committee on economic affairs (CCEA) approved the revised the central sector scheme ���Development Of Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure ��� Grading & Standardisation��� to be implemented during the 11th plan period with a total outlay of Rs 706.40 crore.
���The revised scheme will help in expanding marketing, post-harvest infrastructure facilities in the country by inducing private/public and cooperative sector investment and will also help in improving the efficiency of existing infrastructure with the state agencies,��� Mr Chavan said.
The CCEA approved the revised scheme with suitable modifications in its operational guidelines under which it has been stated that no major structural changes be made in the scheme, before a rigorous and critical, independent evaluation of the scheme is made. Under the revised guidelines, reefer vans or any other refrigerated vans used for transporting agricultural produce would be allowed for assistance under the scheme.
In another decision, the CCEA also allowed the agriculture ministry to undertake documentation of endangered medicinal plants through periodic surveys and research. Mr Chavan said the Centre���s ���Conservation, Development And Sustainable Management Of Medicinal Plants��� scheme has been allocated Rs 321.3 crore during the 11th plan. The scheme would promote research, development and domestication of wild medicinal plants, he said.
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