Proposed Legislation seeks to replace the Seeds Act, 1966 and Seeds (Control) Order, 1983 aiming to ensure quality seeds, protect farmers’ rights and promote ease of doing business.
Key Highlights of the Bill
- Mandatory Registration: No seed, except farmers’ variety and the one produced exclusively for export purpose, shall be sold unless registered.
- Regulation of the sale of seeds: Seed varieties to conform to Indian Minimum Seed Certification Standards.
- Central Seed Committee: Constituted by the Central Government with its Headquarters in New Delhi.
- It shall offer advice on matters relating seed programming, planning, seed development, production, storage, processing, export and imports, etc.
- State Seed Committees: To be constituted by State Government consisting of Chairman and not more than 15 members appointed or nominated by State Government.
- Registration Sub-Committees: To recommend kind or variety of seeds for registration after scrutinising their claims.
- National Register on Seed Varieties: It is a register of all Kinds or Varieties of seed kept under the control and management of the Registrar.
- Establishment of Central and State Seed Testing Laboratories: Equipped with Seed Analysts and Inspectors.
- Offences and Punishment: Proposes stringent penal provisions with offences in three categories, namely, trivial, minor and major, with major offences carrying a maximum penalty of Rs. 30 lakh with imprisonment.
