The Union government has released the latest draft of the Pesticide Management Bill for public feedback. This is the fifth version of the Bill, after earlier drafts in 2008, 2017, 2019, and 2020. The new law is meant to replace the old Insecticides Act of 1968 and the Insecticides Rules of 1971, which are now considered outdated.
Interestingly, the new draft is still called the Pesticide Management Bill, 2020. This is because the 2020 version was already introduced in the Rajya Sabha and is still officially pending. Keeping the same title avoids the need to introduce a completely new Bill. The government is expected to pass the law during the Budget session in February 2026.
Despite the need for reform, the pesticide industry in India remains largely unregulated. Many pesticide products are sold by creating fear among poor and small farmers, often using weak scientific claims and unscientific farming advice. Some parts of the agricultural research and extension system are also blamed for promoting such practices.
Experts say that pesticides have not significantly improved farm productivity over the years. Instead, they have become a financial and health burden for farmers and their families. Pesticide use now makes up a large part of farming costs per acre—not because prices are higher, but because farmers are encouraged to use them excessively.
Aggressive marketing and poor-quality agricultural guidance have led to heavy and mostly ineffective pesticide use. Critics argue that regulatory bodies have failed to properly study these long-term problems or learn from decades of poor outcomes.
The new Bill is expected to address these issues, but many believe it must include stronger rules, better monitoring, and farmer-friendly policies to truly reform pesticide use in the country.