Centre to enact strict law against spurious seeds; companies to compensate farmers: Chouhan

Ahilyanagar, Dec 31 (PTI) The Centre will soon enact a stringent law to curb the sale of spurious seeds and pesticides, making companies legally liable to pay full compensation to farmers in case of crop failure caused by substandard inputs, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Wednesday.

Addressing a 'Shetkari Samvad' programme at the Krishi Vigyan Kendra in Ahilyanagar district of Maharashtra, the Agriculture and Rural Development Minister said the proposed Seed and Pesticide Law would also have provisions for penal and criminal action against guilty companies and individuals.

He announced the release of Rs 367 crore to Maharashtra as the 21st instalment under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) to strengthen the state's agriculture sector, according to an official release.

"The Union government will soon enact a stringent law to curb the sale of spurious seeds and pesticides, which will make companies legally liable to pay full compensation to farmers in case of crop failure caused by substandard inputs," Chouhan said.

Stressing the need to modernise agricultural education, Chouhan said rapid technological changes in farming made it imperative to update educational syllabi without delay.

"It is inappropriate to teach outdated curricula. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research should not wait for a decade to revise courses but make immediate changes as per requirements," he said.

He also announced plans to set up an independent and credible certification system for organic farming, expressing confidence that certified residue-free produce would fetch nearly double the market price for farmers.

Chouhan warned of strict action against those creating artificial shortages and indulging in black-marketing of urea and fertilisers.

Referring to relief measures, the minister said the Maharashtra government had provided Rs 862 crore to flood-affected farmers in the district.

He said the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system ensured that assistance was credited directly to farmers' bank accounts, eliminating middlemen.

Subsidies for agricultural mechanisation and micro-irrigation would be distributed transparently, and without delay, he added.

Chouhan directed the Ahilyanagar district administration to ensure accurate crop damage surveys and to coordinate with insurance companies to maximise compensation to farmers.

He also said that 29 lakh houses had been sanctioned for Maharashtra under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, with funds allocated to replace remaining 'kucha' houses with permanent structures.

District guardian minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil underlined the urgency of revamping agricultural education.

He said outdated research and curricula must give way to the inclusion of artificial intelligence, digital farming and mechanisation to prepare students as future-ready farmers.

The minister said Ahilyanagar district had secured second rank in the state under the PM Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises Scheme. PTI SPK NSK