Agri students to protest against insecticide rules on Jul 24

All India Agricultural Students Association (AIASA) today said it will stage protest on July 24 against the government's policy regarding granting of new licences to run insecticide shops.
The protest will be staged against the government for allowing diploma holders eligible for new licences to run insecticide shops and also demand higher fellowships for agri-scholars, setting up of an Agriculture Council of India for regulation of agri-education in India, it said.
A representation will also be made to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in this regard, the association said in a statement.
The AIASA alleged that the Union Agriculture Ministry in "connivances with traders" has amended the insecticides rules and made even diploma holders eligible for new licences to become dealers/retailer of insecticides.

This has "devastated" the career opportunity of 3.8 lakh agri-graduates who were to be get licences for pesticides shops from November 2017, it said.
The ministry had issued a notification in 2015 making degree in agriculture mandatory for grant of licences for pesticide shops or distributors.