A parliamentary panel on Monday noted with regret that agricultural scientists of the country have done nothing for bringing the agri sector at par with the neighbouring countries, despite spending sufficient amount from the national exchequer. The National Assembly Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat, which met with Rana Mohammad Hayat Khan in the chair, also expressed serious concerns that "The Plant Breeders Rights Bill 2015" was pending for more than a decade which has blocked foreign companies to invest in the sector.
The Bill was again not given approval and deferred for further discussion in its meeting next week to take input from various stakeholders including provinces, private sector and the farmers.
The Committee unanimously opined that the Bill in question was of paramount importance for promoting private sector to take part in agriculture research and development sector and to establish a viable seed industry for improvement of agriculture by ensuring availability of high quality seeds and planting material to farmers.
The committee also decided to invite representatives of farmers and representatives of provinces and Seeds Associations and seed producers in its meeting to get their input before the Bill is approved for legislation. In his observations, the chairman of the committee said that the law after its passage by the Parliament would give a boost to the agriculture sector through provision of quality seeds to the farmers.
He said that due to absence of quality and disease resistant seeds, the agriculture produce in the country had reduced. He also lamented the casual attitude of national and provincial research and development departments for not brining in high yielding seeds and planting materials for the farmers. "It's a national tragedy that we could not produce quality seeds in any crop including wheat, cotton, sugarcane, paddy and maze for the last 40 years...the seeds producing companies are the real enemies of the country", he remarked.
He also lamented that the agricultural scientists and the agri researchers have not been able to contribute to the sector despite spending billions of rupees from the national exchequer. The chairman wanted to give approval to the Plant Breeders Rights Bill 2015 without any further delay but committee members including Asad Omar of PTI stated that input from other stakeholders including the farmers should be taken.
Representatives of the Sindh government also opposed passage of the bill in the present shape, as they wanted further deliberations and redressal concerns of the provincial government. Secretary National Food Security Seerat Asghar stated that the parliament did nothing for the agriculture sector in the last three years. He pointed out that agriculture was not on the concurrent list but it was devolved to the provinces.
He further said that before 18th amendment, the federal government use to spend Rs 60 billion on agriculture sectors in rural areas but after devolution process the provincial governments have completely neglected the rural areas. The committee approved the Pakistan Bait-ul-Maal (Amendment) Bill 2015 whereas deferred its discussion on another Pakistan Bait-ul-Maal (Amendment) Bill 2013 (Private Members Bill moved by MNA S.A Iqbal Qadri due to absence of the mover.
The Bill approved by the committee sought amendment in Sections 5 and 12 of the Pakistan Bait-ul-Maal Act 1991 making it consistent with the re-organisation of Federal Secretariat in pursuance of 18th Amendment in the Constitution of Pakistan. The Amendments would make the Pakistan Bait-ul-Maal Board functional which had become dysfunctional due to the devolution of various ministries to the provinces. As per amendments, the Secretary of the Controlling Ministry of Pakistan Bait-ul-Maal would be the ex-officio Chairperson of the Board besides inclusion of a representative each from ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony and NADRA.
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