[Answered]Discuss the need and significance of Pesticides Management Bill, 2020.

India is the 4^th largest producer of pesticides in the world. At present regulation of pesticides in India is done under the Insecticides Act 1968. The Pesticides Management Bill, 2020 aims to regulate the business of pesticides that is currently being regulated by the 1968 rules, which require amendment.

Need for a fresh law:

1. Need of change: The current state of regulation of pesticides in India, is under Insecticides Act 1968. It needs to change to keep up with modern pest management science. Therefore, it is high time that new legislation is brought in.
2. Health risks: Due to acute pesticide poisoning farmers face hospitalisations and deaths. It is not just human beings but wildlife and livestock that are poisoned routinely by toxic pesticides as numerous reports indicate. Thus, a check is needed on fake pesticides.
3. Fake and spurious agrochemicals: Spurious agrochemicals harm crop, soil fertility and the environment. They are responsible for the losses of not just farmers but also producers of genuine agrochemicals and the government, which loses revenue from the sales of the counterfeit versions of the real farm inputs. Thus, there is a need for new regulation.

Significance of Pesticides Management Bill, 2020:

1. Empower farmers: The bill will empower farmers to get all the information regarding pesticides including their strengths and weaknesses and the risk and alternatives involved, in all languages. This would prevent over-usage by farmers.
2. Compensation: The bill includes the provision of compensating the farmers in case of losses due to the use of spurious or low quality of pesticides. Thus, it enables farmer’s rights to get compensation in case of fake products.
3. Transparency: Bill makes provision to ensure transparency by keeping details of the seller. 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, and infrastructure available to stock that pesticide.
4. Reduced misuse: Bill makes provision which would help farmers to know potential harms of pesticide. The information will also include details on the pesticide’s potential effects on the environment.
5. Prevent misleading marketing: The bill also includes provisions to regulate pesticides-related advertisements to check misleading claims by industries and manufacturers.

The Pesticide management bill is needed for the hour, to promote safe and effective pesticides. The bill is needed to protect the interest of the farmers, so that they get safe and effective pesticides. It would safeguard farmers from being cheated by spurious pesticides.