Centre invites comments on draft Pesticides Management Bill, 2025 to replace Insecticides Act, 1968
The Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare invited public comments on 7 January 2026 on the draft Pesticides Management Bill, 2025, which will replace the Insecticides Act, 1968 and the Insecticides Rules, 1971; suggestions are due by 4 February 2026.
Summary
The draft Pesticides Management Bill, 2025, prepared by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, was opened for public comments on 7 January 2026, with suggestions due by 4 February 2026. The Bill is meant to replace the Insecticides Act, 1968 and the Insecticides Rules, 1971. It provides for transparency and traceability, digital processes, stricter control over spurious pesticides through higher penalties, decriminalisation of petty offences, and compounding of offences with penalties to be set by state-level authorities.
Key facts
- Draft law
- Pesticides Management Bill, 2025
- Replaces
- Insecticides Act, 1968 and Insecticides Rules, 1971
- Comments due
- 4 February 2026
- Features
- Traceability, digital processes, higher penalties for spurious pesticides
- Offences
- Petty offences decriminalised; compounding with penalties set by state-level authorities
Practice MCQs 3 questions
The draft Pesticides Management Bill, 2025 is intended to replace which law?
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Correct answer: B — Insecticides Act, 1968
PIB (Agriculture): the draft Bill will replace the Insecticides Act, 1968 and the Insecticides Rules, 1971.
By what date could stakeholders submit suggestions on the draft Pesticides Management Bill, 2025?
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Correct answer: C — 4 February 2026
PIB (Agriculture): stakeholders can submit suggestions by 4 February 2026.
Consider the following statements about the draft Pesticides Management Bill, 2025: 1. It provides for compounding of offences, with penalties to be defined by state-level authorities. 2. It seeks to decriminalise petty offences. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: D — Both 1 and 2
PIB (Agriculture): both are correct — the Bill aims to decriminalise petty offences and allows compounding with penalties defined by state-level authorities.