Government Of India Invites Public Comments on Draft Pesticides Management Bill, 2025
New legislation to replace Insecticides Act, 1968; focuses on quality pesticides, farmer safety and ease of doing business
07 January 2026, New Delhi: The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare has invited comments and suggestions from stakeholders and the general public on the Draft Pesticides Management Bill, 2025, as part of the pre-legislative consultation process. The draft Bill seeks to modernise India’s pesticide regulatory framework by replacing the Insecticides Act, 1968 and the Insecticides Rules, 1971.
According to the Ministry, the proposed legislation has been framed in alignment with current agricultural, technological and regulatory requirements, with a strong focus on farmer welfare, transparency and accountability. The Bill aims to ensure the supply of quality pesticides to farmers and simultaneously support ease of doing business through reform-oriented regulatory mechanisms.
Emphasis on transparency, technology and quality assurance
The Draft Pesticides Management Bill, 2025 introduces provisions for enhanced transparency and traceability, supported by digital and technology-driven systems to streamline regulatory processes. These measures are expected to improve service delivery and strengthen trust across the pesticide value chain.
To address the issue of spurious and substandard pesticides, the Bill proposes stricter controls and higher penalties, alongside provisions for compounding of offences. Enhanced penalties, to be defined by State-level authorities, are expected to act as a deterrent while balancing regulatory enforcement with administrative efficiency. The Bill also mandates accreditation of pesticide testing laboratories, ensuring that only quality-assured products are made available to farmers.
Industry response
Reacting to the release of the draft Bill, CropLife India, the industry body representing leading crop protection companies, said it is in the process of reviewing the proposed legislation.
“We are currently in the process of examining the draft Pesticides Management Bill 2025 (revised 2020 bill). We shall arrive at a consolidated view of the industry and share a detailed response in due course,” said Mr. Ankur Aggarwal, Chairman, CropLife India.
Public consultation open till February 4, 2026
The Draft Pesticides Management Bill, 2025 has been placed in the public domain for stakeholder feedback, with comments invited until February 4, 2026. The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare has said that all inputs received within the consultation period will be carefully examined before the Bill is finalised.
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