National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee on National Food, Security and Research (NFS&R) on Wednesday approved much awaited Seed (Amendment) Bill 2014, if implemented would replace existing Seed Act 1976.
The new Seed Act comprises heavy fines over violators of the law. Initially, there will be a fine of Rs 0.2 million and/or three months imprisonment while for second time offenders the fine will be Rs 0.6 million or both for every subsequent offence.
Secretary Ministry of NFS&R Seerat Asghar told the Committee if improvements were made in the old Seed Act, there would be remarkable progress in the agriculture sector.
The Amendment Bill was presented to Cabinet in 2007, after the support resolutions from the provincial assemblies. But due to the dissolution of the NA in 2007, Bill could not be placed before the Parliament.
