Sub Mission on Plant Protection and Plant Quarantine (SMPPQ)

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About the Sub Mission on Plant Protection and Plant Quarantine (SMPPQ) 

It is one of the Schemes under Green Revolution (Krishonnati Yojana) through which regulatory, monitoring, surveillance and capacity building functions are performed.

Kay components

The SMPPQ has the following components: 

• Strengthening and Modernization of Pest Management Approach in India (SMPMA) which includes the following sub components:
  • Implementation of Insecticide Act, 1968
  • Integrated Pest Management (IPM): IPM seeks to promote cultural, mechanical, biological methods of pest control and recommends use of chemical pesticides as a measure of last resort
  • Locust Control and Research:
• Strengthening and Modernization of Plant Quarantine Facilities in India (SMPQF):  The SMPQF prevents introduction and spread of exotic pests that are harmful to crops and bio-security of the country by regulating/restricting import of plants/plant products and monitor import of agriculture commodities as per the agreed conditions prescribed in the Plant Quarantine Order, 2003 notified under provisions of Destructive Insect and Pests Act, 1914. 
• Monitoring of Pesticide Residue at the National Level (MPRNL): The scheme is ongoing with the participation of 31 laboratories all over the country. The participating laboratories collect the food commodities samples from various Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) markets and Public Distribution System (PDS)
• National Institute of Plant Health Management (NIPHM): 
  • The NIPHM was established in 1966 as Central Plant Protection Institute (CPPTI) at Hyderabad. 
  • The Institute became an autonomous body in the year 2008 with the expanded scope of promoting sustainable Plant Health Management practices in diverse agro-climatic conditions and Plant Bio-security Management and Pesticide Management through capacity building programs. 
  • The NIPHM organizes capacity building programs in areas (like Plant Health Management, Bio-security & Incursion Management, Pesticide Management and Market Access) provides Consultancy Services & Policy Support and undertakes adaptive research in plant protection domain

Regulation & monitoring

The Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare performs regulatory, monitoring, surveillance and Human Resource Development functions through a scheme “Sub Mission on Plant Protection and Plant Quarantine (SMPPQ)” with the aim of minimizing loss to quality and yield of agricultural crops from the ravages of insect pests, diseases, weeds, nematodes, rodents etc. and to shield our bio-security from the incursion and spread of alien species.

Other initiatives regarding Plant Protection in India

• To promote Integrated Pest Management and judicious use of Pesticides, 14 crop specific and pest specific Package of Practices have been issued to the States during the lockdown period
• The Destructive Insect and Pests Act, 1914 and the Insecticides Act, 1968 provide the legal framework for the regulatory function.
• During 2020-21, India became the first country in the world to control locusts by using drones after finalizing protocols and Standard Operating Procedures.

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