Current Status of BAN on GM CROPS and position of NDA government on this issue

Ban on Genetically modified (GM) crops has generated huge debate over the safety and long term environmental ill effects in India and other nations.There is long tussle between the seed producing companies ,few farmers bodies and indigenous farmers along with environmental scientists and activists.Politicians have always treaded very cautiously and have supported majority view on this issue.

Bt. cotton is the only Genetically Modified (GM) crop approved in 2002 by the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change for commercial cultivation in the Country and, therefore, cultivation of other unapproved GM crops are banned in India.

Inspite of this ban on GM crops ,Few incidences of suspected open cultivation of Bt. brinjal and HT cotton were reported in Maharashtra, Haryana, Punjab, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh.

Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare has issued advisories to States to take appropriate necessary action,in accordance with the ban on GM crop , to curb and control the spread of Bt. Brinjal and HT cotton.

State Governments have given the directions to all District Administration to enforce ban on GM crops and to take necessary legal steps to curb the production and selling of illegal GM crops.

There is a well established regulatory framework for approval of GM Crops as per “Rules for the Manufacture/Use/Import/Export and Storage of Hazardous Microorganisms, Genetically Engineered Organisms or Cells, 1989” under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 in the Country.

Evaluation of each application of GM crop is done on a case-to-case basis after a thorough examination of health, environment, food and feed safety assessment studies undertaken in a systematic and scientific manner as per prescribed guidelines, manuals and standard operating procedures stipulated by various regulatory agencies under the Rules, 1989 from time to time.

The data generated by the applicants is reviewed at every step in the development process of GM crops by various Statutory Committees under the Rules, 1989 such as Institutional Biosafety Committee, Review Committee on Genetic Manipulation and Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee.

Regarding the ban on GM crops, A series of guidelines and protocols have been issued by Department of Biotechnology and Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change relating to Genetically Modified Organisms and product thereof as under:

1. Recombinant DNA Safety Guidelines, 1990
2. Revised Guidelines for Research in Transgenic Plants, 1998
3. Guidelines for the Safety Assessment of Foods Derived from Genetically Engineered Plants, 2008
4. Guidelines for the monitoring of Confined Field Trials of Regulated, Genetically Engineered (GE) Plants, 2008
5. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Confined Field Trials of Regulated, Genetically Engineered (GE) Plants, 2008
6. Protocol for Food and Feed Safety Assessment of GE crops, 2008
7. Guidelines and Handbook for Institutional Bio-safety Committees (IBSCs), 2011
8. Environmental Risk Assessment of Genetically Engineered Plants: A Guide for Stakeholders, 2016
9. Guidelines for the Environmental Risk Assessment of Genetically Engineered Plants, 2016.

    x      Risk Analysis Framework, 2016.         

This information was given in a written reply by the Union Minister  of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shri Narendra Singh Tomar in Lok Sabha,yesterday.