Presiding over a National Conference on Indian Seed Industry-Challenges & The Way Forward under aegis PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Joint Secretary (Seed), Ministry of Agriculture Mr. R K Singh said that his ministry would reinitiate the dialogue process afresh to enact the new seed legislation in which the regulatory burdens to test the quality of seeds could be increased.
Without prescribing a date by as to when the new legislation would be drafted for Parliamentary approvals, the Joint Secretary said the no guarantee could be given for its definite enactment but the decision has been taken to revisit the old draft bill so that it is evolved in to a disruptive legislation to serve and suit the modern requirements of the neo and emerging agriculture sector.
The Bill would also have provisions for registration of seeds developed and evolved through host of R&D exercises and might as well prescribe for penalties and compensations in case the seeds are mis-branded and mis-represented including falsely and fictitiously branded, indicated Mr. Singh adding that government would explore all possibilities through in-depth consultation process with all stakeholders to make the new Seed Bill user friendly by all standards.
The PHD Chamber also recommended that fairer and unbiased regulatory mechanism should be put in place to regulate the seed and agriculture sector through transparent manner and demanded an earlier biotechnology regulatory authority for the genetically modified crops and the like.
The Additional Chief Secretary & OSD, Government of West Bengal Dr. Atanu Purakayastha inaugurated the Conference in which the Vote of Thanks proposed by the Secretary General, PHD Chamber Mr. Saurabh Sanyal.
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