Pawar stresses on GM crops as Rajya Sabha debates agri crisis

Questioning the government about its policy on GM crops, former Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar today pitched for increased research in the field saying it could save farmers from stress due to floods and droughts.
Participating in a short-duration discussion on the 'serious situation arising due to floods and drought in the country', the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo, also attacked the NDA government for not specifying its policy on genetically modified (GM) crops.
Indonesia has developed a GM variety of sugarcane that is drought-resistant. This can be used in India as it will solve the issue of complaints by farmers regarding states diverting more water supply to sugarcane growing areas, he said.

"This can happen here also. Department of Biotechnology can look in to this issue. The government's policy on GM is not known," he added.
Pawar said that there is a need to increase research on GM crops in the country as it will help the farmers in producing more foodgrains for a growing population, while the land under farming is limited.
Intervening in the debate, Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said science cannot be stopped and the government is promoting it.

"We cannot stop science and we will go ahead with it. We will give permission for trials with all safety. The committee has allowed for conducting of field trials on GM crops, but the state governments are not allowing it. So how do we propel science ahead," he said.

Informing the House that Bangladesh has allowed GM crops, the Minister said it is about time that India should consider the technology regarding GM crops.
"We have to keep in mind the human safety and at the same time work for science. India has 17 per cent of the world's population and livestock, but only 2.5 per cent land and 4 per cent water resources," Javadekar added.