The Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM), an affiliate of the RSS, expressed concerns on Thursday regarding certain clauses within the Pesticide Management Bill, 2020 proposed by the Centre. In its submission to the Parliamentary Standing Committee deliberating on the Bill, the SJM criticized provisions it believes grant “unwarranted advantage to MNCs” while lacking sufficient safeguards for domestic pesticide manufacturers.
Introduced in the Rajya Sabha last year and referred to the standing committee, the Bill aims to regulate the pesticide industry and provide compensation to farmers affected by spurious agro-chemicals.
The SJM argued that the Bill contains provisions that favor importers and foreign interests. Specifically, it pointed out Section 22(1), which it believes unfairly advantages MNCs as first registrants, potentially enabling manipulation of subsequent registrations in India.
Highlighting the existing laws’ bias toward importers, the SJM urged for stronger measures to protect domestic manufacturing interests. It proposed granting the registration committee the authority to reject imported pesticide registrations if the pesticide is already manufactured domestically or if suitable alternatives exist within the country, thus promoting self-sufficiency and reducing import reliance.
The SJM also advocated for distinguishing between assembly/repackaging and actual manufacturing, proposing measures to regulate pesticide imports and impose non-tariff barriers to safeguard plant, animal, and human health in line with WTO restrictions.
Additionally, the SJM emphasized the importance of recognizing and legitimizing bio and organic pesticides, which have been a hallmark of Indian agriculture. It criticized the Bill for not providing adequate recognition, a level playing field, or streamlined registration processes for these products.
Finally, the SJM called for independence in pesticide regulation to prevent conflicts of interest. It argued that the Bill’s provisions to prevent such conflicts are weak and insufficient, urging for stronger measures to ensure impartial regulation free from industry influence.
