The Union Agriculture Ministry has opened public feedback on the draft Pesticides Management Bill. This new law will replace the Insecticides Act of 1968. It plans to control how pesticides are made, imported, packed, labelled, stored, advertised, sold, transported, used, and disposed of. The goal is to make pesticides safer and more effective. The Bill aims to reduce risks to humans, animals, other living creatures, and the environment. It also promotes the use of biological pesticides and those based on traditional knowledge. The Bill defines "pesticide" broadly. It includes chemical or biological substances used to stop or control pests in farms, industries, pest control jobs, public health, or storage. It covers plant growth regulators, defoliants, desiccants, fruit thinners, and sprouting inhibitors. It also includes substances that protect crops before or after harvest during storage and transport. The draft creates the Central Pesticides Board. This board will advise the central and state governments on technical and scientific issues related to the law. It will help set standards for making pesticides, pest control best practices, pesticide recalls, safe disposal, and advertising rules. The government may form a Registration Committee to handle pesticide registration. This committee will grant or cancel registration certificates and review pesticide safety regularly. Anyone wanting to import or make pesticides must apply digitally to this committee. The committee will also keep a digital national register of pesticides. The Bill includes strict punishment for violations. If pesticide use causes death or serious injury, the offender may face up to five years in jail and fines between ₹10 lakh and ₹50 lakh, or both. This move marks a significant update to India's pesticide rules, aiming for improved safety and regulation.