Union Cabinet clears Bill to regulate pesticide business

News: The Union Cabinet has approved the Pesticides Management Bill, 2020. It seeks to replace the existing Insecticides Act of 1968

Facts:

About Pesticides Management Bill, 2020

Aim: To protect the interest of farmers and ensure they get safe and effective pesticides.

Key Features:

• Farmers would be empowered to get all information regarding the available pesticides, their strength, weaknesses, and risks from the dealers
• Any person who wants to import, manufacture, or export pesticides would have to register under the new bill and provide all details regarding expected performance, efficacy, safety, usage instructions
• Provision to provide compensation if there is any farm loss because of low quality or spurious pesticides
•  All the information regarding the available pesticides would be available in the public domain, in all languages in digital format.