In the old law, there is a provision of a fine of only five hundred rupees on the culprits.
Arvind Sharma, Jagran, New Delhi. Preparations are now underway to take decisive action against the fake and substandard seed business that has been playing with the trust of farmers for years. In the budget session, the Central Government is going to replace the almost seven decade old SEED Act with a modern and strict system in which quality, accountability and transparency are kept at the top.
Under the new law, no seed company, grower or seller will be allowed to sell seeds without registration and those knowingly selling substandard seeds will face a jail term of up to three years and a fine of up to Rs 30 lakh. At present, the bill has been made public for legislative consultation and suggestions have been sought from farmer organizations and stakeholders.
The entire chain will be held accountable
The present Seed Act, enacted in 1966, was a law of that era when there was neither a system of digital surveillance nor the market was so complex. There was a provision of a fine of only five hundred rupees on the culprits. As a result, there was a tendency to get away with paying small fines in the name of action against serious crimes like selling fake seeds. To overcome this weakness, the government is moving towards a law in which the entire chain of seed supply will be made accountable.
The biggest feature of the new seed bill is the traceability system of seeds. There will be a digital record of every seed sold in the market. There will be a QR code on the packet, which after scanning will be known where it was produced, in which unit it was processed and through which seller it reached the farmer. As soon as this system is implemented, fake and bad seeds will not be able to survive in the market for long and identification of the culprit will be possible immediately.
Also try to strictly maintain balance
Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan emphasizes that seeds are not just agricultural inputs but also a matter related to the livelihood of farmers and food security. Therefore, registration of seed companies, processing units, dealers and plant nurseries is being made mandatory. This will not only curb fake companies, but will also give farmers confidence that they are purchasing seeds from authorized and reliable sources.
An attempt has also been made to strictly maintain balance. The new law will not interfere with the traditional seed system of farmers. Farmers will be able to sow their seeds. Will also be able to do transactions. The seed exchange tradition in villages will also be preserved. Action will be taken only against those who trade in fake and substandard seeds. By making fines and punishments effective in the proposed bill, the message has been given that causing harm to farmers will no longer be a low-risk crime.
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