ISLAMABAD: The Standing Committee on National Food Security and Research met here on Wednesday under the chairmanship of Syed Tariq Hussain and discussed the Seed Amendment Bill, 2024.
According to press release issued by National Assembly Secretariat, he Minister for National Food Security and Research, Rana Tanveer Hussain informed the committee that telephonic consent from provincial governments through their respective Chief Secretaries had been secured, and resolutions from provincial assemblies, as required under Article 144 of the Constitution, would be submitted before the Bill is passed into law by Parliament.
The ministry, in consultation with stakeholders and based on the committee’s recommendations, proposed several amendments to the Bill.
The amendments included replacing the Chairman with the Managing Director (MD), changing the appointing authority of the MD from the Prime Minister to the Federal Government, and substituting the Federal Minister as the head of the Board of Governors instead of the Prime Minister.
Additionally, the MD’s term would be set for three years, extendable once for two years, contingent on performance.
The Committee recommended defining the term “Expert” in the Bill, stipulating a minimum of 10 years of experience and a Master’s degree.
It also suggested increasing the number of experts from two to four, with representation from all provinces. The Plant Breeders Department should also be included as a Member of the Board of Governors to ensure better coordination.
Regarding financial matters, the Committee advised that the term “Funds” should be clarified in the Bill, with input from the Ministry of Finance.
This includes clear definitions of local and foreign currency accounts, ensuring audit and third-party evaluations of all accounts. The Committee advised that the Authority should not raise funds independently. It was also recommended that the rules of business for the Authority be formulated within two months of the Bill’s passage.
The Committee strongly emphasized the need for stringent legal actions against sellers of counterfeit seeds, recommending both fines and imprisonment.
The maximum imprisonment period was extended to two years, and fines were raised to Rs.2 million. The Committee also called for action against Seed Inspectors of that particular area under the ESTACODE efficiency and discipline rules.
The Committee expressed dissatisfaction with last year’s 781 filed cases and the sealing of only 23 companies involved in selling fake seeds. The Ministry updated the Committee on the progress of the Special Inquiry Commission’s investigation into the sale of counterfeit seeds, with the final report expected within the next two days.
Additionally, the Department of Plant Protection was instructed to collaborate with the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) for enhancing locust control operations and to report back on short-term overhaul strategies.
The Ministry was also asked to investigate the reasons behind the non-utilization of a $200 million World Bank loan, acquired in 2019 and later returned, resulting in a significant loss to the national exchequer.
