“We are ready to adopt the recommendations of the Environment Ministry on GM crops, but it is up to the Environment Ministry’s expert committee to take a final call,” Singh said.
The minister added: “If the panel clears such a crop for commercial release after considering all safety aspects, the Agriculture Ministry will play its role in assisting farmers to adopt it for cultivation.
The ministry has initiated some key measures to protect the interest of farmers cultivating Bt Cotton. We have cut the price of Bt Cotton seeds and slashed the royalty fee so that farmers are not exploited by seed companies through arbitrary pricing,” Singh said, while spelling out his ministry’s achievements in the past two years.
Clarifying reports on withdrawing notification that laid down rules for licensing of GM seed technology, he said, “This is not a rollback. It is just that the earlier notification is now being put in public domain to receive wider suggestions.”
“The ministry has put the entire draft of the order in public domain, seeking views of farmers, scientists, industries and experts within 90 days. Since this order will decide the licensing issue of GM seed technology of any crop in future, we felt the need to take everyone’s views for wider consultations before coming out with a definite policy,” he said.
The minister added: “I would like to make it clear that this particular order has nothing to do with what we had decided in case of Bt cotton seeds by cutting its price and slashing the royalty fee.”
Highlighting the work being carried out by the ministry to provide relief to farmers in case of disaster/drought, Singh said, “We have revised the norms for providing relief to farmers and extended record amount of financial assistance to states in the past two years.
Relief is now being given in case of 33 per cent damage to the crop as against the earlier norm of 50 per cent or more. The compensation amount under various heads has also been increased by 50 per cent. It was a historical decision, taken last year at the behest of PM Narendra Modi.”
“The Centre had approved nearly Rs 9,017-crore relief to drought and hailstrom-hit states against their demand of Rs 42,021 crore in 2014-15 and Rs 13,497 crore during 2015-16 against Rs 41,722-crore demand. Whereas, the UPA government had approved merely Rs 12,516-crore relief as against the demand of Rs 92,043 crore during 2010-14,” Singh said.