Hyderabad: Telangana agriculture minister Thummala Nageswara Rao criticised the Centre’s seed draft bill for curbing state powers. He directed officials to file objections on behalf of the government. The minister also warned that the proposed law reduced state control over certification and enforcement.
He addressed the state-level review on the Central Draft Seeds Bill-2025 at Professor Jayashankar Telangana Agricultural University on Friday. The minister said states needed certification authority to curb fake seeds. He also asked how enforcement could work without these powers.
He ordered agriculture officials to gather district-wise feedback through farmer meetings. The minister noted that the draft ignored crop-loss compensation norms and called the omission a serious concern for growers.
Officials asked to study seed draft bill gaps
He instructed the department to prepare objections and list amendments. The minister said Telangana would state its position firmly. He argued that stronger state oversight would protect farmers. He also vowed to push the Centre to revise the seed draft bill.